


Counting On Hearts

by LightningSupernova



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note when deemed necessairy, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Blood and Violence, But consent is important, F/F, Implied/Referenced Torture, Injury, More tags to be added, Rough Sex, Strap-Ons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2019-12-29 23:16:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 47,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18303749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightningSupernova/pseuds/LightningSupernova
Summary: Dating is hard. After finally getting herself out on a date with Becca, Alex finds that things are never what they seem and that sometimes the best things in life are the unexpected.Or: the story where Alex finds love in unexpected places.Rao, that summary sucked … Please check the tags and give this story a chance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place after 4x12 Menagerie. It follows canon, except for the mind wipe thing. Alex knows Kara is Supergirl. I don’t dislike that story arc from the show, but for the purpose of this story, I needed Alex to know.
> 
> This is also the first time I paired Alex with someone else. My Sanvers heart is hurting! But it had to happen sometime.
> 
> People who’ve read my stories before know I love to create my own original characters. Vin came to me some time ago but I never found the right story to fit her in. Please give her a chance.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> As always, thanks to Rebellion_Bear for the clean up!

_I'm counting on hearts like yours to keep me crazy_  
_To rough me up 'til nothing can phase me_  
_Will you tell me when it isn't enough?_  
_And never let me live halfway_  
_I'm counting on hearts like yours to get me through it_  
_I'm a fighter now let me prove it_  
_Don't ever let me water it down  
_ _I'm counting, I'm counting on you now_

  * __Icon For Hire__



 

 

The bar was crowded for a Tuesday night and Alex hesitated as she stepped through the door. She pulled at the collar of her leather jacket, shaking her head at her own nervousness, a small grin playing around her lips. Walking in, she wove through the crowd of dancing people and headed towards the bar, keeping an eye out for anyone she might know. She’d been here quite a few times already as it was one of the more popular queer bars in the area. Someone waving from a table in the back caught her attention, and Alex waved back before pointing at the bar. The woman shook her head and held up a nearly full glass, indicating that she was good for the moment. Alex went over to the bar to order herself a beer. Then she went to greet her date.

“Hey, Becca.” Alex sat her beer down on the table and slipped off her jacket before accepting the short and friendly hug from the other woman.

“Hey to you, too, stranger. I’m glad the feds decided to let you go out for one evening.”

Alex winced at the jibe, knowing it was perfectly true. Their third date had been made, canceled, postponed and rescheduled so many times, Alex was surprised Becca actually said yes. “Yeah, I know. Things have just been crazy out there.”

Reaching out, Becca touched Alex’s hand with her own. “It’s ok. I get that you have a very demanding job. I’m just glad it worked out for now.” She chuckled at the sheepish smile on the other woman's face. “So tell me, what’s been going on in your life since we last met up?”

Their conversation flowed nicely, with Alex talking about her job at the ‘FBI’, sharing as much information as she was allowed, which wasn’t much, but Becca seemed to understand that. Becca herself talked about her own job as an accountant for a big company. They dwelled on other topics like friends and family, with Alex gushing about her sister.

“I swear I’ve never seen someone eat that many potstickers so fast ...” Alex trailed off, taking a sip from her second beer.

Becca laughed. “You must really love your sister if you let her get away with that!”

A chorus of cheers and applause rose up from the pool tables, not too far from where they were sitting and Becca rolled her eyes.

Alex looked up, seeing a tall lean man throw a twenty on the table in frustration. She chuckled, guessing he’d just been beaten by a pool shark. The crowd shifted a bit as another man stepped up, wanting a go. It allowed Alex a glimpse of the figure they were playing. Their back was turned and Alex could just make out that it was a tall, broad-shouldered person in what seemed like a tailored pinstripe suit before Becca cleared her throat, calling her attention.

“Do you play pool?” Alex asked. She hadn’t played in months but felt like it tonight.

Becca took a drink from her martini and shook her head. “No, I don’t really like it. I find it a waste of time and money. Like those guys are about to learn. I haven’t seen Vin lose a single game.”

“Vin?” Alex hadn’t heard that name before.

“The woman they’re playing. She comes here every once in a while, drinks, and plays and probably takes a woman home for the night,” Becca said with a shrug. “Sounds like the predator type to me.”

Alex agreed with that and shook her head, “Yeah, probably.” She tried to get the conversation flowing again with questions about Becca’s older brothers, laughing at stories about the trouble they got into when they were kids. She completely missed the grey eyes glancing at her every once in a while from underneath the rim of a fedora.

After half an hour or so, Becca’s phone pinged and she checked the screen, smiling when she read the message. Alex tried to hide the frown on her face with another sip of her beer as she watched Becca send a message back. The woman placed her phone back down and gave Alex an apologetic look. She sighed deeply and Alex felt it coming even before the woman started speaking. “Look, Alex. I really like you. You’re cute and fun to be around …”

“I feel a but coming here,” Alex mumbled.

“But … I met someone. Someone who’s actually available to go out on dates.” Becca covered Alex’s hands on the table. “Her name’s Christina and we’ve been out a couple of times and I’m really falling for her. I’m sorry.”

Alex forced a grin on her face. “Don’t be. It’s ok, really. I’m … I’m happy for you.”

Becca nodded and sat back. She reached into her purse and threw a couple of bills on the table to pay for her drinks. “I meant it when I said I like you. I really want us to keep in touch. Be friends one day. Ok? So don’t be a stranger.” She stood and took her jacket from the chair, slipping it over her shoulders. “See you around, Alex.”

Alex sighed deeply as she watched Becca disappear into the crowd. She shook her head and took a deep drink from her beer, immediately thinking about ordering something stronger.

“That seemed rough.”

The husky alto voice made Alex look up and she had to swallow when she saw the person leaning casually against the booth. The woman was tall, dressed in a pinstripe suit that looked tailored and was topped with a fedora. She was oozing self-confidence, standing very close to the flabbergasted Alex and sipping a beer, holding a second in her hand. She held it out to Alex. “I hope I didn't overstep any boundaries, but you looked like you could use it,” Vin said with a cocky grin. “Oh and don’t worry, I didn’t roofie it or anything.” When all she got in return was a raised eyebrow, Vin chuckled and took a sip from the glass herself. “See?”

Alex chuckled and reached up, accepting the beer. “Thanks. And you’re right. I can use it. I’ve just been dumped after all. Though … well … we weren’t exactly a couple yet. It’s complicated.”

“Isn’t it always,” Vin mused. She held out her hand and introduced herself. “Vin Vecsei.” She glanced at the chair on the other side of the table in a silent question

Alex shook her hand and motioned for the other woman to sit. At least then they could talk without Alex hurting her neck. “Alex Danvers. But I’ll start with telling you that if you’re looking for easy prey to take home with you, I’m not it.”

Vin laughed at that. “I swear the stories about me are greatly exaggerated. I just come here to play pool and yeah, I went home with someone once or twice. But that’s it. Usually, I just walk them home. Or get them a cab. I’m a gentlewoman after all. I like a good conversation and you look like someone who can hold their own. I like that. Those guys I beat at pool just keep whining about how a girl is kicking their asses.” She smiled when Alex snorted at that. “I don’t mind. It pays for my drinks … and then some … But I like a real conversation once in a while. With someone interesting.”  She held out her hands, “So what do you say, Alex Danvers? Are you someone interesting?”

Alex chuckled, feeling intrigued by this strange woman at her table. She was drop-dead gorgeous, Alex had to admit. But there was something else there, behind that confident exterior. She could feel it and it made her curious.  “Vin Vecsei … That’s a strange name.”

“It’s Hungarian. But before you ask, the last time I was in Hungary I was two, so I don’t remember any of it.” Vin reached up and removed her fedora, laying it down on the table and shaking out her medium length dark brown hair. “And it’s actually Vina … But don’t tell anyone that, I have a reputation to uphold.”

“I wouldn’t dream of ruining your rep. What do you do for a living, Vin? I’m guessing playing pool won’t play the bills.” Alex thought it would be an easy way to start the conversation.

“Unfortunately, no. My brother and I have a small construction company. Carpentry, mostly, but we can tackle about anything people throw at us.”

Alex had to blink to clear the image that popped up in her mind and spotted the smirk on Vin’s face and the knowing glint in her eyes.

“I know the image of a tough construction worker and my normal, sophisticated looks,” Vin waved a hand up and down herself, “can be hard to fathom. But there is more to me than just my looks.”

Alex started laughing at that, with Vin soon joining in. “I’m sorry, I’m usually not that bad. But it got you laughing,” Vin said, wiping a stray tear from her eyes.

“It sure did, thanks.” Alex wiped at her own cheeks. She felt a lot better. Vin was fun to talk to.

“So how about you? Where does Alex Danvers spend her days?”

“I work for the FBI. I can’t really tell you much about that I’m afraid.”

Vin smiled. “The feds huh? That’s so cool! Keeping our city safe.”

“It sounds more exciting than it actually is,” Alex mumbled, tucking a strand of hair back behind her ear.

Vin reached out and tapped a finger against Alex’s hand, causing the woman to look back up at her. “I’m sure it isn’t.” She leaned back again and decided to change the subject. “You got any hobbies besides chasing bad guys?”

Alex thought for a moment, “Not really no. Whenever I have some free time, I try to hang out with my sister. And trying to get my life in order. I uhm … I’m trying to adopt a kid. Just finished my application.”

Vin gave her a smile and started asking some questions about the procedure. It also steered the conversation towards Kara, Alex’s adopted sister, and Alex was surprised how easy the other woman was to talk to. Vin also shared some of her own stories, mostly about her baby brother Vaan.

They were at their fifth beer and both were starting to get a bit tipsy. They laughed over a story Vin told and the tall woman blinked … in a very unusual way.

Alex froze, the hand holding her beer halfway to her mouth. She knew she hadn’t imagined that.

“What?” Vin asked.

Alex pointed at Vin’s eyes. “You just blinked with a nictitating membrane.”

Vin closed her eyes and blew out a breath. “I haven’t lost control like that in years, damn it.” She looked at Alex. “I didn’t mean to lie about it, I’m sorry. I’ll just go, ok? Please don’t make a scene.” She pushed herself up from the chair but stopped when Alex touched her arm.

“Don’t.” Alex urged Vin back down. “So you’re an alien?” She waited until Vin nodded. “I don’t mind. I work with plenty of aliens.”

Vin visibly exhaled with relief. “These days you never know for sure.” Her voice lowered somewhat, knowing it was a sensitive subject. “With those cursed Children of Liberty running rampant. They force us back into hiding.”

“Where are you really from? And don’t say Hungary. Though it was a good cover story.”

Now it was Vin’s turn to let her eyes drop down, her bravado all but gone. “I come from a planet called Vana’diel. It’s gone now. Landed here about twenty years ago. I was twelve.” She looked back up and Alex could see the hurt lingering behind grey eyes.

“You don’t have to tell me more if you don’t want to.” They were practically strangers, even if it didn’t feel that way. And Alex could tell it was a painful story.

Vin gave a half grin, “Thanks. I’ll tell you about it. Someday. How about when I take you out on a proper date first?” She glanced over at the bar and saw the bartender waving their way. “Cause I think they’re about to close.”

Alex looked at her watch, her eyes widening at the time. “Wow, I can’t believe it’s this late already.” It was rare for Alex’s analytical brain to completely lose track of time like that. She took her glass and drained the last bit of beer. It was then that Vin’s last words popped back in her brain. “You want to go on a date? With me?” To cover her nervousness at the implication, she stood and shrugged on her jacket.

Chuckling, Vin took her hat and placed it on her head, pushing herself out of her seat. She threw some bills on the table, more than enough to pay for both her own and Alex’s drinks, ignoring Alex mild protest. “It’s pool shark money. I had a good night,” she said with a smirk. She went over to Alex and looped an arm around her shoulders, guiding the other woman out of the nearly empty bar. “Now let me work on my rep.”

That made Alex laugh and she leaned against the taller woman, letting herself be guided out into the cool night air.

Once they were outside, Vin stepped back and reached inside her jacket. She took out a card and handed it to Alex. “I did mean it, though. I like to see you again.”

Alex looked down at the card, smiling when she saw it was a business card. It read _Vecsei Siblings Construction_ with a couple of phone numbers underneath it. “The first number is mine,” Vin added. “Unless you want to vet me through my brother first. Then it’s the other one.” She took a breath and waited until Alex looked back up at her. “I really liked talking to you. It was comfortable, hence me losing control of one of my basic non-human functions.” She shook her head and rubbed at the back of her neck.

“So you can be humble and shy … Good to know,” Alex teased. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.” She held up the card. “My work schedule can be hectic. But I’ll call. I promise.” She put the card in the back pocket of her jeans.

“I’ll hold you to that. You ok getting home?” Vin asked, knowing both of them had too much to drink to drive.

Alex took her phone. “Yes. I can get an Uber. You?”

“I only live a couple of blocks away. I’m walking.”

Alex lifted an eyebrow. “At this time? You sure it’s safe?”

Smiling, Vin nodded. “I can take care of myself, Alex. But it’s nice to know you care.”

Rolling her eyes, Alex made the quick call and a few minutes later, her ride pulled up at the curb. “See you later, Vin.”

“Definitely,” Vin said with a smirk. Then she leaned forward and Alex froze, inhaling when soft lips connected with her cheek. Vin pulled back and winked at the dazed way Alex was looking at her. Then she turned and walked away, crossing the street and heading to her apartment. She glanced back for a moment, happy to see that Alex hadn’t moved yet.

The impatient honk from the Uber driver shook Alex out of her daze and she hurried to get in, mumbling an apology as she told her address. As the car started moving, Alex spotted Vin across the street, waiting to see her off safely. Smiling to herself, Alex settled back in her seat, a hand going up to her cheek, feeling positively giddy about the unexpected turn her night had taken.

 

* * *

 

Kara ‘Sunshine’ Danvers was munching on a donut while practically skipping through the hallway to her sister’s apartment. It was still fairly early but it was looking to be a very nice and sunny day and since it was one of those rare moments both Danvers had a day off, Kara couldn’t wait to spend it catching up. She just hoped she wasn’t too early, knowing Alex could be cranky in the morning. Hence the coffee and the box of donuts in her hands. Peace offerings.

Having reached the door, Kara checked to see if she was alone in the hallway and lowered her glasses, quickly scanning through the walls. She didn’t want to _interrupt_ anything since she knew Alex was out on a date last night. There was only so much she needed to know about her sister’s sex life.

She spotted Alex sleeping on her couch, the rest of the place was empty. Shaking her head she reached for her key and let herself into the apartment, closing the door behind her with a nice, deliberate bang.

Alex, startled, scrambled up and nearly fell off the couch before realizing what had happened. She glared over the back of the couch at Kara, who stood there laughing her ass off. “Kara! Damn it. Did you have to do that?!” She ran a hand through her disheveled hair.

“Yeah, I did,” Kara sing-songed as she placed the donuts on the counter. “You do remember sister day today, right?” She handed Alex one of the coffees.

Alex took the paper cup and brought it to her lips, almost inhaling it when the strong taste of black coffee hit her tongue. She tried to keep up the glare at her sister but dropped it quickly. She could never stay mad at Kara for long. And she was looking forward to sister day just as much. “How could I possibly forget that? Just let me hop in the shower first.”

“Yes, please do … you stink.”

Getting up from the couch, Alex stuck out her tongue at Kara who smiled back sweetly. She shook her head and made her way to the bathroom.

“I want to know the details!” Alex heard Kara yell just as she pulled her shirt over her head. Sticking her head back through the door, she quipped, “All the details?” She wiggled her eyebrows and sniggered when Kare turned beet red. Knowing she had the last word, Alex pulled back into the bathroom and started her shower.

Five minutes later, a freshly scrubbed Alex in a clean t-shirt and jeans made her way back into the living room and sat down on the couch next to Kara, rubbing a towel through her hair. She eyed the donut box on the table, noting more than half were already gone and took one for herself. She kept quiet, knowing it would rattle her sister.

Kara blew out a breath through her nose, knowing Alex did it on purpose. “Fine, I’ll start. How was your date with Becca last night?”

Alex munched on the donut a bit longer. “Becca dumped me.”

“What?!” Kara exclaimed. “How she …. pfffff … why would … ugh …” She stopped trying to come up with a comeback when Alex chuckled. “You don’t seem too upset about that?”

“That’s because I’m not. Becca was nice and maybe, one day, we can be friends. But there was never a _deeper_ connection, you know?” Alex took another bite. “And there was someone else I met in the bar …” She let the sentence hang, looking at Kara to see her reaction.

As expected, Kara’s eyes widened and she shuffled a bit closer.

“Her name’s Vin and she’s … probably one of the most intriguing women I have ever met. She’s tall and was dressed in a suit, sophisticated. And she just oozed confidence, maybe even a bit off arrogance at first. No, a lot of arrogance.” Alex fell silent, lost in the memory. Kara nudged her with her elbow, grinning at the dreamy and faraway look her sister had gotten. Alex failed to stop the giggle from escaping her mouth. Kara pulled her into a hug, giggling with her sister. It wasn’t often Alex was being so giddy.

“Keep going,” Kara insisted.

“Ok, ok … we started talking and the doubts I had just melted away. She was so nice and easy to talk to. The night just flew by. And …” Alex took the card she had picked up from her jeans. “She wants to see me again too.”

Kara plucked the card from between Alex’s fingers. “Vescei huh?” Kara already planned to do a full background search on this person.

“She’s also an alien,” Alex added.

“Seriously?” Kara asked and Alex nodded. “Are you … ok with that?”

“I’ve never dated an alien before. I don’t know why it makes me a little bit nervous. I work with aliens every day. My sister is freaking Supergirl.”   

Kara pulled Alex against her in a side hug. “Did she say where she was from?”

“Someplace called Vana’diel. Said it was gone now. Do you know it?” Alex felt Kara inhale and pulled back so she could look her in the eye. “Kara?”

“Unfortunately yes, I heard of Vana’diel before. My father had visited it once on a diplomatic mission. To try and stop a genocide. He didn’t talk about it much afterward, so I think he failed.” Kara dropped her eyes. “Vin sounds like a Viera. I didn’t think any of them survived.”

Alex let out a sad breath. “She said she’s been here for twenty years.”

“She probably escaped during the final stages of the war then. It must have been horrible.” Kara gave Alex a small smile. “But she sounds great. I hope you’re going to call her. Or at least text her.” She nudged Alex with her shoulder.

Alex smiled back and took her phone. “You know, I think I’ll do just that.” She typed a message and used the first number on the card.

_This is Alex. Just wanted to let you know again that I had a great time last night. I’m hoping we can do it again soon._

She hit send before she could change her mind. It only took a couple of seconds for the reply to arrive.

Kara eyed her sister, noting the silly smile on her face. She hadn’t seen Alex smile like that in a long time. Not since Maggie. “What did she say?”

Alex handed Kara her phone and the blonde read the message.

_Hey, Alex! You just made my day look a little brighter with your message! I had a great time too. Just let me know when and where and I’ll be there._

“Sounds like you’ve got a hot date to plan,” Kara said, handing the phone back.

Alex nodded, a grin playing around her lips. “Yeah … I’ll have to see how things go at the DEO first. But barring any world disasters, I should be able to fit something in this weekend.”

Kara stood and pulled her sister to her feet. “Ok, that’s set. Now you are going to get dressed and we’re going out.” She all but pushed Alex in the direction of her bedroom. “We’re going shopping. Cause you won’t woo your girl in old leather and flannel. Even if you’re lesbians!”  

Alex chuckled at the last comment.

 

* * *

 

They had agreed to meet for food and drinks in a small restaurant not too far from the bar. Alex had just parked her bike when her phone vibrated in her pocket with an incoming message.

_Vin: I’m running a bit late. You can come up if you want. My apartment is just across the street. Second floor, 2B._

Alex looked at the apartment block, contemplating what she should do when a second message pinged.

_Vin: Don’t mind the mess!_

Intrigued, Alex decided to just go for it. She locked her bike and crossed the street, finding the entrance of the small apartment building. She was surprised when she could just walk in, the inside door hanging off its hinges, and scaled the staircase to the next floor. There she found the correct door, a small plate with _V. Vescei_ _Construction_ hanging underneath the number, and knocked.

“It’s open!” Vin’s muffled shout came through and Alex pushed the door open, carefully stepping inside. She heard shuffling, clanging and even a few curse words drift from the next room and made her way over. There she found Vin, work boots and cargo shorts sticking out from the cupboard beneath the sink.

“Is this one of your seduction tactics? Inviting a woman over while you’re all in sweaty worker mode?”

Vin peeked from underneath the cupboard and winked. “I don’t know. Is it working?” she quipped and chuckled when Alex blushed. “This damned old plumbing … Something was blocking the water line. Took me longer than I anticipated. But I’m almost done. Then I’m off to the shower and we should be able to make our reservation.” She ducked back. “Feel free to check out the place. Me casa es su casa … Well, my brother lives here too, but he’s out.”

When Vin started clanging against the pipes again, Alex took up her offer and went into the living room. She looked around the room, surprised by its size. One wall was covered with shelves in dark hardwood and Alex ran a hand over it. They looked hand made and if Vin made them herself, Alex was impressed. The shelves were filled with books and Alex recognized several titles. Classic novels, a couple of science and history books, lots of comic books but mostly fantasy and surprisingly a lot of science fiction. That made her grin. An alien who read books written by humans about aliens.

In between the books were toys and figurines, movie props and other, more realistic looking blades and weapons. Enough to make many cosplayers envious.

“So now you know my secret,” Vin said from behind Alex, having just come out of the kitchen, wiping her dirty hands on a rag. Alex turned and lifted an eyebrow as she looked at the woman. “I’m a big nerd.”

Alex smiled and shook her head, “I don’t mind. My sister and I are known to be a bit nerdy as well.” She let her eyes take in the full vision of Vin in her work clothes and didn’t miss how the other woman started to blush at the scrutiny. Vin’s hair was pulled back in a short ponytail, one cheek smudged with dirt. The beige cargo shorts hung low on her hips, weighed down by a tool belt, and the pale shirt she was wearing was just a tad short for her long frame, giving Alex a glimpse of pale skin over ripped abs.

Vin cleared her throat, “I uhm … I’m going to hop in the shower and get ready.” She winced when her voice sounded a bit higher than usual. She almost ran out of the room.

Alex shook her head to clear it, having not expected the rush of feelings that ran through her body. Trying to distract herself, she started looking around again, only now spotting the small Supergirl figurine standing proudly on top of the entertainment system. She grinned when she made her way over, picking it up to take a closer look. It seemed Kara had a fan. Placing it back, she took out her phone and snapped a picture, deciding to tease her sister with it later.

The sound of the shower stopped and Alex could hear Vin rummage through shelves and closets. A couple of minutes later, she reappeared, buttoning up a black dress shirt and tucking it into dark grey slacks. She grabbed a pair of black shoes and sat down on a chair to put them on. Then she opened a cupboard, one Alex was surprised to see was filled with hats, and took out a dark grey fedora. She turned to Alex, put on the hat and held out her hands. The look was much more casual than the pin-striped suit Vin was wearing last time, but it definitely was a variation on the same style. “I look ok?”

Alex had to swallow around the sudden dryness of her tongue and tried to say something, anything. All she got out was a bit of a squeak so then she cleared her throat to try and hide her flustered state. “Sure … you look great. I feel a little underdressed.” She looked down at her own outfit. Brand new, form-fitting jeans, boots, a nice new green sweater, and her leather motorcycle jacket.

“You’re not. You look … perfect.” Now it was Vin’s turn to turn red. “I just like to dress up. I have more suits than most men do. And hats … I have a thing with hats.”

Alex chuckled, breaking the tension between them. “Yeah, I can see that.”

“How about we go and get some food then?” Vin grabbed her keys from a bowl by the door and held out her hand to Alex, who took it with a trembling hand and let herself be led outside.

They crossed the street to the small Italian restaurant Vin had booked for them and Alex smiled when the owner came up and greeted Vin with a big hug.

“Vina, mio migliore amico!” The older woman exclaimed, pulling Vin down so she could place a big sloppy kiss on the woman’s cheek. Alex tried to hide the snigger at the slightly uncomfortable look on Vin’s face. “Come, come! I saved best table for you and your friend!” The woman spoke with a heavy Italian accent, taking Vin’s hand and pulling her through the restaurant to a table at the back.

“Thank you, Miss Perelli.” The woman squinted at Vin, who then rolled her eyes and corrected herself. “Angela.”

The woman gave her a bright smile and turned to walk away, shouting orders at the servers in Italian. Vin turned to Alex and gave an apologetic shrug. “They’re a bit loud, but the food’s great.”

It made Alex laugh as she took a seat at the table. “Did she just called you her best friend?” Alex’s Italian was sketchy at best.

“Yeah … But she calls many people that. You should hear her when I come here with Vaan. She treats him like he’s her long lost son.” Letting out a chuckle of her own, Vin sat down. She took the pitcher of water and filled both their glasses. “A couple of years ago, there was a big fire in the kitchen. Burned down half the restaurant. The insurance was being difficult, claiming it was their own fault and stuff. So the neighborhood pitched in to help.” Vin took a sip from her water. “My brother and I helped to rebuild the place. Free of charge.”

“That was very nice of you.”

Turning a bit red, Vin shrugged it off. “We do that, here and there, whenever we can. Some people just can’t afford to hire a plumber or a carpenter. It’s a way for us to give back to our community. They helped us when we needed it. When we first got here.”

Alex was about to reply when the first dish was delivered to their table. “But we didn’t order anything yet,” she said in confusion.

“Don’t worry. Angela has it covered,” Vin said with a wink. “It’s no use protesting, just enjoy the ride.” It was something she had learned over the years.

“Ok,” Alex said, lifting her fork to dig in.

 

* * *

 

Several hours later, Alex sat back in the chair and rubbed at her stomach. The food had been divine, the company even better. The two of them had finished a bottle of wine between them and conversation flowed easily.

“I can’t possibly eat one more bite,” Alex said.

Vin agreed as she drained her glass of wine. “Me too.” She looked at Alex, “But I don’t want this to end just yet.”

Alex smiled sheepishly with a twinkle in her eyes. “I don’t either.”

“Do you want to join me back at my place? I can make us some coffee and we can talk some more. You can sober up too, you know, so you can drive your bike home in a while. If you want, that is ...” a hand on her arm made Vin look up.

“That sounds good.”

Vin blew out a breath and grinned. “Ok then. Let me settle our bill first and then we can go.”

“Oh no, you’re not paying for me again.”

“I asked you out, I pay for our food. You ask me out, you pay for our food. Those are the rules,” Vin said. “And I doubt Angela is letting me pay the full price anyway.” She stood to go talk to the owner.

“Who says I’m going to ask you out?” Alex quipped as she walked away, earning her a wink from Vin. She shrugged on her jacket as she watched Vin negotiate with the older woman. She was trying to shove money into the woman’s hands, who kept pushing it back. Then the older woman whispered something info Vin’s ear, making the tall woman blush ferociously.

Vin was still blushing when she made her way back to Alex. “What was that about?” Alex asked. Vin just shook her head and held out her hand, ready to lead Alex back to her apartment.

They crossed the street in comfortable silence, though both women could feel the tension building between them. Vin opened the door to her apartment and let Alex in, locking the door behind them. “So … coffee?” Vin suggested, swallowing when Alex shook her head.

“First tell me what Angela told you to get you all flustered,” Alex said with an amused twinkle in her eyes.

“Oh … just that she uhm liked you. Actually, she said that she approved of you, which is a first. She usually dislikes any girl Vaan brings over.”

“Have you ever brought a girl over then?”

Vin rubbed at her neck, making her way into the living room. “Actually … No … I might act like a player, but I ain't one. You’re the first … well, not the _first_ first. Obviously. But the first girl I took home. Angela is almost a mother figure to us. So what she thinks is important … to me.” Needing something to do, she went into the kitchen and flipped on her fancy coffee machine. “How do you take your coffee?” she asked Alex.

Alex joined Vin in the kitchen. “Black is fine.” She watched as Vin prepared their drinks before accepting her mug and following her into the living room. She sat down on the couch and took a sip of the strong and hot coffee. They drank their drinks in silence, both taking turns glancing at the other until Alex had enough. She placed her mug, that was nearly empty by now, on the table and turned to Vin. Seeing how nervously she fidgeted with her own mug, Alex took it from between her fingers and placed it on the table. Then, she took Vin’s hand and brought it up, sighing when the calloused palm caressed her cheek.

“My hands are rough,” Vin mumbles apologetically.  

“So are mine. I do handle guns on a daily basis.” Alex saw Vin’s eyes darken to a stormy grey as they flickered from her eyes to her lips and back. “Vin?”

“Yeah?” was the breathy reply.

“Will you please kiss me already?”

Vin moved forward, covering Alex’s lips with her own. She let out a soft mew when Alex buried a hand in her hair. Vin grabbed Alex by the waist, guiding her to sit in her lap. She went willingly, pulling at the band of Vin’s ponytail to let her hair fall free. It was easier to grab hold of and Alex took full advantage, burying her fingers in the soft strands.

They stayed like that for several minutes, slowly getting to know the feeling of each other's lips. Alex pulled back first, breathing heavily through her nose as she bit her lower lip. She leaned back and slipped her jacket from her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor as it was getting uncomfortably warm. She groaned when Vin’s hands slid up her waist underneath her sweater and surged forward, reclaiming her lips. She opened her mouth and licked at Vin’s lip, delving in when Vin allowed her to, seeking out the other woman’s tongue. Someone moaned when their tongues met, but neither knew who nor did they care, being so wrapped up in the sensation of kissing the other. It was deep. It was messy. It was so, so good.

And no one heard the front door open …

“Oh my freaking god!”

Alex broke away at the shout, burying her face in Vin’s neck, who groaned loudly.

“Put a sock on the door or something, why don’t you.”

Vin glared at the young man standing in the doorway, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Fuck you, Vaan. How many times did I have to walk in on you and your girlfriend?”

“So now we’re even.” Vaan rolled his eyes. “You could warn a guy. You never bring anybody home.” He looked at Alex, who was starting to look more composed and waved. “Hi! I’m Vaan. You must be Alex.”

Alex cleared her throat, still beet red, and moved from Vin's lap. “Vaan … Nice to meet you. Though I kind of wish it was under different circumstances.” She smiled at the pout on Vin's face and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, showing that she didn't regret what happened between them. She looked at the young man, who was still smiling broadly at them. The family resemblance was uncanny. Vaan was probably just as tall as his sister with a slender build. His dark hair was cut short and his eyes were the same shade of pale grey. Around his mouth was the shadow of a thin beard. He was handsome, Alex mused.

“Don't worry about it. Glad to finally get some teasing ammo on Big V there.” Vaan ignored the glare he got from his sister. “Ladies, I'm going to retreat to my chambers. Please refrain from defiling the couch. I have to sit there too.” He ducked to avoid the pillow Vin threw at his head and ran to his room, laughing the entire way.

Vin covered her face with her hands and groaned loudly. She peeked between her fingers when she heard Alex chuckle. “Now you know my brother is an asshole,” she mumbled.

Alex turned sideways on the couch, her knees tucked up against Vin. She gently pried Vin's hands away from her face and held them between her own, enjoying the red tint of embarrassment of the other woman’s face. “I think he's nice. Your sense of humor seems to run in the family. And he clearly adores you, Big V.” When Vin groaned again, she leaned closer and placed a kiss on her lips. Vin kissed back, it felt natural to do so, but the moment of heat and lust they had before had faded.

Pulling Alex closer, Vin let out a breath when the other woman cuddled into her side, Alex's head resting on her chest. They sat like that for a while, in comfortable silence.

“This feels nice,” Alex finally said. It had been a long time since she felt so comfortable with another person who wasn't her sister. Vin hummed in agreement. “But I think it's best if I head home.” She lifted her head from its resting place to look Vin in the eye. “This is only our first date after all.”

“Really? I think of it as our second. I mean, last time you did spend more time with me than with your actual date.”

Alex slapped Vin on the shoulder. “Ok, smart-ass. So did this meet your second date goals then?”

Vin's fingers ran down Alex's side, drawing out goosebumps where her sweater was pulled up. “I think we were closer to third date goals.” Alex shivered at the move. Then Vin shrugged, “But I guess we're lesbians, so we're supposed to move a little faster.”

Alex leaned back in to capture Vin's lips in a slow, unhurried exploration of each other’s mouth. By the time Alex pulled back, she was out of breath and she smiled at the adorable dazed look Vin was giving her. “Guess I’ll have to get started on planning the third date then.” With that said, she got up from the couch and grabbed her jacket from the floor, putting it on.  

Vin followed her to the door and opened it. “I'm looking forward to it.” She held out her arm and was ecstatic when Alex stepped into her, pressing her body close. Vin wrapped her arms around Alex and closed her eyes. She was kind of a hugger and apparently, Alex didn't mind.

After a long moment, Alex pulled back. “If I don't leave now, I probably won't.” She stepped into the hallway, her hand holding Vin's for as long as possible. Vin leaned against the door, a pout on her lips, as she watched Alex move away, giving a final wave when she started to descend the stairs. Only then did she move back into her apartment and lock the door. She turned around and let her forehead rest against the hardwood but would have denied the silly smile on her face to protect her rep. Unfortunately, there was a witness.

“Dang, sis. You've got it bad!” Vaan sauntered into the living room, munching on an apple. He ignored Vin flipping him off. “If it's any consolation, I think Alex feels the same.”

Vin straightened and looked at her brother. “Yeah? You think so?”

Vaan nodded. “I'm happy for you.” And he really was, knowing how much his big sister had sacrificed for him. She deserved someone good.

Vin went to him and pulled him into a hug. “Thanks, Vaan.” She felt the shiver run through his frame and knew what he was thinking about. She hugged him a little tighter and rested their foreheads together. “I miss him too.”

“I'm just glad you're letting yourself love again. It took you long enough!”

Vin snorted at that last comment. “Love you too, asshole.” She gave him a little shove in the shoulder. “Come on. Off to bed with you. That shed at Ms. Michaels’ place won't build itself. Oh, and we need to fix the entrance door. I sorta busted it earlier.”

“That was you? How’d you do that?” Vaan wondered. The both of them were strong and had broken things unintentionally before. But Vin was always so in control of her strength. His sister just blushed and waved him off, not wanting to admit her thoughts had been somewhere else.

Chuckling, since he could read her well, Vaan returned to his bedroom to get some sleep.

Vin went around the apartment, checking in the kitchen to see if everything was turned off and turning out all the lights. She went into her own bedroom and sat down on the bed, taking the small framed photograph from her nightstand.

In the center of the picture stood a young Vaan, 12 years old and in the middle of a growth spurt. He was in his baseball uniform, having just played his first match. It wasn’t easy, convincing Vin to let him play. But he knew how to control himself to appear human. To his side stood Vin, a proud big sister. She was sixteen but looked several years older because of her height.

Vin sighed when her finger trailed over the third person in the picture. A young boy. He was just 7 in that picture and it was the last one they had of him. “Damn it, Varrik,” Vin mumbled, wiping at the lone tear that trailed down her cheek. She placed the frame back and kicked off her boots. Then she let herself fall backward, stretching out on her bed, hands behind her head as she contemplated Vaan’s words.

_I'm just glad you're letting yourself love again_.

Love … It was way too soon to call it that. But Vin couldn’t deny that Alex brought out something in her. Something Vin thought she had buried so deep inside it would be lost forever. She escaped a burning world when she was just a child, forced to grow up quick to take care of her brothers. It was tough, but they managed. Until the day everything changed.

And her baby brother was gone.

The ping of her phone shook Vin out of her thoughts and she took it out of her pocket to check the message.

_Alex: Home safe. I had a wonderful time tonight! Though a part of me wishes your brother hadn’t interrupted ;)_

Vin’s mind went back to those intimate moments on the couch and she grinned. The phone pinged again.

_Alex: Hope to see you soon! I’ll start planning!_

Vin started typing back.

_I had a wonderful time as well! You are great company. Looking forward to what you’re planning for us. Hope you have a good night!_

_Alex_ : _I’m pretty sure I will … Goodnight Vin._

Vin smiled as she placed her phone on her nightstand. She glanced at the picture and nodded to herself. Perhaps it was time to start living again.

Clicking off her nightlight, she laid down and closed her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: there is smut in this chapter. Pretty graphic too. Thus I have changed the ratings for this story from M to E. I actually started this story as a one-shot practice to work on my writing sex scenes ... It kinda got away from me ... sorry, not sorry!

 

J'onn cleared through DEO security with a smile, chatting up the agents he knew from when he was still in command. He knew Colonel Haley was in Washington, so he took his time catching up, thankful he wouldn’t run into that woman. Though he loved the work he did now as an investigator, he did miss having a team around him. 

“Agent Dox,” he called out when he spotted Brainy at the command center. And smiled when the man blinked a couple of times to switch himself from work mode to his socially awkward persona.

“J’onn. It is lovely to see you,” Brainy said in a stiff voice.

J'onn chuckled. “It's good to see you too, Brainy. Are you working on your social skills again?”

“Yes, I'm trying to get … looser? … in my conversations,” Brainy shrugged. It helped he had a reason for trying so hard. He wanted to ask someone out on a real date. He looked back at J'onn. “Director Danvers is in her lab. I calculated a 90.98% chance that you are looking for her.”

J'onn clapped the young man on the shoulders. “Perhaps you should stop calculating everything. And just ask Nia out already.” He was pretty sure she would say yes. He laughed at the stunned look Brainy gave him and left him to figure it out on his own.

Making his way through the familiar hallways, stopping a couple of times to greet someone he knew, he found Alex at her desk going through a pile of papers spilled across it. He knocked on the door and smiled when Alex looked up.

“J'onn!” Alex waved him in, getting up from her chair to hug the big man. “What a surprise. What brings you here?”

“You mean besides the fact that Haley isn't?” J'onn said in jest. He studied his surrogate daughter, who looked … different. “You look happy?” 

Alex blushed and tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear. “I uhm ... I met someone.” It felt strange to tell J'onn, like telling her father probably would feel.

Gently taking Alex by the shoulder, J'onn looked at her and smiled brightly. “I'm really happy for you. You need to bring her around sometime. So I can make sure she's a good one.” He was only half kidding, and Alex knew it.

“Thanks, J'onn. It's still fairly new. I haven't even introduced her to Kara.” Alex’s eyes widened in horror as she pictured Kara giving Vin the shovel talk. J'onn boomed out laughing and Alex shook her head. “It's not that funny. Kara really could launch someone into space if she wanted to.” She did chuckle at the mental image, though. Turning back to J'onn, she wondered what brought him to the DEO. “Any specific reason you came by today?”

J'onn let out a breath, getting serious again. “About a week ago, a woman hired me to help find her son. He didn't come home after work one night. I haven't found any leads on where he might have disappeared to. The guy was known to travel around, so I thought he might turn up sooner or later. A few days later, another woman reported a friend who went missing. Same story. Seemed to have just disappeared into thin air. Last night, I saw some kids hanging up missing person pictures on the street. They too have a friend that seemed to have vanished.” He handed Alex a brown file. “All of them are registered aliens.”

Alex scanned the files and felt her stomach drop. “These are part of the registry my father stole, aren't they?” She thought they had caught it all. “Is CADMUS active again? Lillian …”

“Is still locked up on Stryker Island.” J'onn shook his head. “I don't think it's CADMUS. Not on its own anyway.” He saw the pain in Alex's eyes. “And before you start, this is not your fault. Jeremiah had us all fooled, even himself.”

Nodding, Alex took a breath to compose herself. “We need to track down who else is on that stolen registry. I'll ask Brainy for help. As long as we keep this under Haley’s radar …” She knew the colonel would never approve of them helping aliens. “I'll get Kara up to speed as well. She can help keep an eye out.”

“I'm really glad you remember Supergirl is Kara again. It was painful to watch you two act so cold to one another.” J'onn had restored Alex’s memories as soon as Haley stopped her witch hunt.

Alex winced at the memory. “Yeah, me too. I still can't believe I could look into Supergirl's eyes and not see my sister looking back. It just never felt right.” She arched an eyebrow at J’onn. “I still haven’t quite forgiven you yet. For lying to me. But I understand why you had to.” Alex’s phone started to ring and when she looked down at the screen, she started smiling.

J’onn shook his head, amused. “I don’t need to be a psychic to know who’s on the other end of that call. I’m going to leave you to it. Keep me posted if you find anything.” With a wave, he left the lab.

Alex watched him go before accepting the call. “Hi, Vin.”

“Hey, Alex. Hope I’m not disturbing you at work. If you’re in the middle of saving the world, I’d totally understand.” 

Alex double checked to see if she was alone in the room. It wouldn’t do for her agents to see her so giddy on the phone. “No, I’m just doing some research. It’s fine … better than fine … great!” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “That sounded so dorky.” She groaned when she heard Vin chuckle through the phone. “It’s just nice to hear from you.”

“Yeah? I agree. Say, why I’m calling … I’m on my break and paging through the latest edition of CatCo. You mentioned your sister was called Kara. Kara Danvers. That doesn’t happen to be  _ that  _ Kara Danvers right? The one who writes those pro-alien articles?” 

Alex frowned, wondering how she should react to that. Vin’s tone didn’t indicate how she felt about those articles. “First, I can’t believe you read CatCo Magazine. And second … why? Do you hate them?” 

“Hate them? No! I love them!” 

Alex felt relieved. If Vin hated her sister’s work it would never work. 

“Seriously. They’re the only reason I buy it. I love her series of interviews. They really shine a positive light on us as part of the community. Especially now, to counteract all the hatred and violence. I mean, a human writing these amazing things about us. Beat that, Children of Liberty!”

“I’ll let her know you said that. She’ll love you before she even meets you … Perhaps you should, you know, meet. Then you can tell her yourself.” Vin didn’t answer right away and the silence was making Alex nervous. Was that too soon? Did she come on too strong? What if Vin wasn’t ready to meet Kara yet? She worried her lip between her teeth.

“I’d love to.”

“Really?” Alex breathed.

Vin laughed. “Yeah, of course. What did you think I’d say. Kara can’t be worse than Vaan, as annoying younger siblings go. I’d love to meet her.”

“It’s a date then? I’ll check with Kara and get back to you? Maybe dinner and a movie? Kara loves movies. And food. She really loves food.” 

“Good to know. Hey, I have to hang up. Vaan needs me for something.”

“Ok, I’ll call you later. Bye.”

Alex turned off her phone and tapped it against her chin, a smile on her face. She had a dinner date to plan.

 

* * *

 

“Kara, no!” 

“But ... “ 

Alex closed her eyes and rubbed at the bridge of her nose. She knew her sister was pouting, she heard it in her voice. “This is the first time you’re meeting Vin, please don’t go all reportery on her.” 

Kara stole a piece of vegetable from the cutting board, snapping it up just before Alex’s knife went down. She popped it into her mouth. “I was going to ask first. I’m curious. She’s a Viera, Alex. She and her brother could be the last ones. It must be such an amazing story!” 

“Or a very sad one,” Alex said, putting her knife down. “I don’t want tonight to be marred by sadness. I want you and Vin to get along. Have a fun evening.” She picked up her board and carried it to the stove, emptying it into the pan. She stirred for a moment before glancing over her shoulder at her sister who sat at the counter. “I think … I think I really like her. I haven’t felt like this since Maggie.” 

Kara got up from her stool and stepped closer, wrapping her arms around Alex from behind, leaning her chin on her sister’s shoulder. She stayed silent, she didn’t need to say anything, just be there. Offering her support. 

Alex took a shuddering breath. “Thanks, Kara.” She added some more ingredients to the pot and lowered the heat, letting the pasta sauce shimmer. “It’s strange, you know. We’ve only known each other for little more than a week. But she’s just so … perfect. She’s bold and confident. But also so sweet and caring.”

“No one is perfect. But she sounds pretty damn close. And it looks like she’s punctual too.” Kara grinned when she heard Alex’s heart speed up. 30 seconds later, someone knocked on the door. “Oh … she brought potstickers!” Kara sniffed at the air and sped to the door. She froze when Alex coughed and looked back sheepish, straightening her clothes and pushing her glasses back on her nose. Then she opened the door.

“Hi! You must be Kara.” Vin held out the bag she was holding and grinned when Kara reached or it, nearly salivating. “A little bird told me this would be the best bribe to get you on my side.”

Kara took the bag and stepped aside to let Vin enter. She closed the door behind her and called out to her sister. “I was wrong! She is perfect!” She carried the bag to the counter, winking at Vin when she passed. Alex shook her head at Kara’s antics and wiped her hands on a towel before turning to Vin. Her breath stocked in her throat at the sight.

Vin was dressed fairly casually, in tight blue jeans and boots topped with a deep green dress shirt and beige vest. On her head she wore a  fedora, of course, green this time, tipped low on her forehead. Her hair was loose, hanging just below her chin and lightly curled. Alex could tell Vin had taken her time and she appreciated it. And Vin knew she did, as shown by her cocky posture while Alex checked her out. 

Kara nudged her sister with her elbow. “The water for the pasta is boiling,” she said with a smirk.

Alex jumped slightly and held up her index finger. “Be right back.” She ducked back behind the counter to the stove.

Having grabbed a plate, Kara started to pull the potstickers out of the bag, plating them up. If it had been just her and Alex, she would have devoured them already out of the bag, but she could at least try to show she had some manners. She waved Vin over, letting her take the stool next to her. “So Vin …” she started and Alex stopped the groan in her throat, recognizing the tone in Kara's voice. “Alex told me you're an alien. How long have you been on Earth?” She picked up a potsticker and shoved it in her mouth whole, her self restraint only went so far.

“Kara … I thought I asked you not to be the reporter tonight,” Alex said in exasperation. She had tossed the pasta on the boiling water and joined the other two woman at the counter, taking a potsticker for herself. She knew she had to be fast if she wanted any, as Kara was already on her third.

Vin shook her head, grinning, as Kara and Alex’s relationship reminded her of herself and Vaan. “It's ok, Alex. I don't mind.” She looked at the blonde, squinting slightly as she tried to figure out why she looked so familiar. “And to answer your question, I’ve been here close to twenty years.”

“Twenty years? Wow … It was a different world back then. Must have been hard.”

“Yeah, it was. Humans didn't know we existed, so we had to hide what we were to avoid creating chaos. I was just a kid, too, and had to take care of my brothers.” Vin winced at the small slip. She glanced up into Alex’s confused eyes. “Varrik … my baby brother. He uhm … he died.”

Alex covered Vin's hand with her own, seeing the pain on her face. “I'm sorry to hear that.”

Vin nodded, offering a small smile. “But anyway, we managed.” She didn't want to delve into her painful stories, not tonight. 

“Alex said you and your brother run a construction company. I've Googled it and found you do a lot of goodwill work in the area. I think you two more than managed.” Kara grinned when Vin blushed at the praise. “You know I work for CatCo, I take it? I write this series of interviews called ‘Aliens of National City’ and I wonder if I could feature you. I have a hunch it would be one hell of a story. You don't have to do it, if you rather not. I won't hold it against you.” She gave one of her famous, disarming smiles, hoping to win Vin over. 

Alex interfered, glaring at her sister. “She means it! You don't have to feel obliged just because she's my pesky little sister.”

Vin was surprised and didn't really know what to say. “Uhm … is it ok if I'll think about it? I’m not sure if I'm interesting enough to tell the truth. But I love your series. I buy CatCo just to read them. And those articles from that new reporter … what's her name? … Nia Nal, yeah, that's it. She had a great writing style.”

Kara beamed at the praise. “Nia's great. I'll let her know she has a fan.”

Alex got up and went to the stove to drain the pasta, mixing it into the sauce.

“That smells divine,” Vin commented.

Alex carried the pot to the table, motioning to Vin and Kara to join her. “Don't get your hopes up. I don't cook much and pasta is about the only dish I can do well.”

Vin slipped off her jacket and hung it from her chair before taking a seat, placing her hat on the table next to her. “Don’t worry, next time I’ll cook.”

“You can cook! Alex, keep her,” Kara called out in jest. 

Alex just rolled her eyes as she filled up their plates, smiling when Vin laughed. She was happy Kara and Vin seemed to hit off, as they were already teasing each other like they've known each other for years.

As they were eating, Kara did most of the talking. She asked more questions about Vin's experiences on Earth but stayed clear from the lost brother. Or the reason she came here in the first place. The reporter in her was curious but detected it was a heavy subject and best left for another time.

Vin offered to help with the dishes and helped to carry everything to the kitchen to load into the dishwasher while Kara picked a movie.

“What movies do you like?” Kara called out to Vin as she was setting up her Netflix account.

Vin shrugged. “I can enjoy anything. But I'm a bit of a nerd so I mostly watch Sci-Fi or Superhero stuff. Or a horror movie once in a while.” 

Kara’s eyes widened and she looked over the counter at Vin before her eyes found her sister. “You two are made for each other, seriously. But we're not watching Terminator again!” 

Alex sniggered and carried two bowls of crisps to the couch, setting them on the table. She pulled Vin closer and pushed her down. “Beer ok? Or if you rather have a soda or something …”

“Beer's fine,” Vin said as she watched Alex go back to the kitchen. She turned to Kara, who was watching them interact with a soft smile on her face. “I'm really ok with anything you pick.” 

The wide smile that came on Kara's face was a bit unnerving, as was Alex singsonging, “you might regret that,” from the kitchen.

To tease her sister, Kara started scrolling in her list of old musicals until she heard Alex groan and looked over her shoulder to see her drop down onto the couch, her face hidden against Vin. “Fine … drama queen,” she said with a sigh and an eye roll. Inside she was squealing with joy at seeing Alex being so open with someone. “How about Stardust? Fantasy, humor and still romantic.”

“I can live with that,” Alex answered from her place on the couch. It was just now that she realized how close she had pushed herself against Vin, but as she started to move, she felt the other woman reach out, holding her close. Alex let herself relax, knowing Vin was ok with their seating arrangements. 

Kara sat down on the ground, her back against the couch. It gave the two other women a bit of privacy, as they cuddled together. And it placed her close to the snacks. Always a plus for her.

They were about halfway through the movie when Kara suddenly sat up. “You know what I really want right now? Ice cream! Does anyone want some ice cream? Cause I could sure use some.” She caught her sister's eyes. “I'm going to get some ice cream.” 

Alex caught on and nodded. “Good idea, Kara.” She sat up and watched Kara stand, hurry to the door and leaving the apartment. 

“I know your sister is Supergirl,” Vin mentioned, keeping her eyes on the TV and shoving a crisp into her mouth.

Alex gaped at her for a few seconds. “I don't know what you're talking about …” she tried but gave up when Vin shot her a look. “How did you figure that out?”

Vin shrugged. “Humans have a very distinct smell. Kara doesn't. That was the first clue. The rest was just some simple observation and deduction.”

Alex let herself sink into the cushions and exhaled. “That's actually a relief. I'm pretty sure Kara will waltz through that door in a bit without having actually bought ice cream.” She looked at Vin, seeing the amusement written on her face. “So … you smelled my sister isn't human. How do humans smell? Wait! Do I want to know?”

Vin laughed when Alex wrinkled her nose. “It's not bad, I swear. We, Viera, have more olfactory receptors than humans do. We're like dogs, I guess. It has something to do with pheromones or something. You can probably explain it better than I can.” She moved closer to Alex, draping an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer, sniffing at the air. “But if you want to know, you smell like leather and bike oil.” She nudged her nose against Alex's neck, enjoying the shiver that ran down Alex's frame. “And that citrussy shampoo you use. It doesn't cover the sweetness though, the musk that’s all you.” 

Alex couldn't take it anymore. She turned her head and captured Vin's lips in a searing kiss, burying her fingers in brown curls. Vin snaked her arms around Alex and gently pushed, thrilled when Alex let herself be pushed down onto the couch, carefully spreading her long body on top. One of Alex's hands took hold of her shirt and started to pull it up out of her jeans, needing more skin contact, as her tongue sought out entrance into her mouth. Vin groaned when nimble fingers found the skin on her back, leaving goosebumps in their path.

They stayed like that for a while, trading unhurried kisses back and forth. Fingers wandering over the available skin. They lost track of time, only breaking apart when a loud bang sounded from the hallway. 

Alex breathing heavily, trying to get air into her lungs. “That sounded like a Kryptonian who walked into the wall,” she said and started laughing. 

Dropping her head to Alex's chest, Vin started snickering at the mental image. She pushed herself up to her knees, helping Alex sit up. 

“Come in Kara. Vin knows,” Alex said in a soft voice, knowing her sister could hear her. 

The door opened and Kara stepped in, hands in front of her eyes and bits of plaster stuck in her hair. “I swear I wasn't spying on you two!” She peeked between her fingers and breathed out in relief to see them separate. “Also … I might have broken your wall.” She wiped at the plaster on her shirt.

“I’m sure it's nothing I can't fix with some stucco,” Vin mentioned.

“And that's another reason I better keep you around. Kara’s a bit accident prone.” Alex could write a book about all the accidental property damage the blonde had caused during her time on Earth. 

Vin squeezed Alex's hand. “I like the sound of that. The keeping me around part.” She smiled at Alex and then took a breath, getting up from the couch. “But on that note, I think I better head home.” 

Kara held up her hands, “Don't leave on my account.”

“I have an early day tomorrow.” Vin grabbed her jacket and her hat and put them on. “It was lovely meeting you, Kara. And don't worry, your secret is safe with me.” She held out her hand for Kara to shake.

“Oh no, we don't shake hands in this family,” Kara said and pulled the surprised woman into a hug. 

Alex went to them and took Vin's hand when they parted. “I'll show you out.” She led Vin to the door and opened it. 

“Thanks for a lovely evening. I really enjoyed myself.” Vin was sorry it ended, but she knew she needed to get some sleep to be ready for a busy day tomorrow. And when she and Alex were ready to take things a bit further, she wanted to be able to take her time. She leaned down and kissed Alex on the lips, soft and sweet. 

When they parted, Alex had a dreamy look on her face as she contemplated dragging Vin back inside. Vin made the decision for her, stepping back into the hallway. With a last grin, the tall woman turned and walked away.

Alex shut the door and joined her sister on the couch. “Well? What do you think of her?”

“You really need to ask?” Kara pulled Alex into a side hug, feeling her sister breathe out in relief. 

 

* * *

 

Colonel Haley returned from Washington the next day and that, combined with the work Alex and Brainy secretly did with J’onn on his missing aliens cases, kept Alex pretty busy for the next week or so. She talked with Vin on the phone every evening when she had a moment, apologizing for her lack of time. Vin said she understood, knowing Alex had a busy job

One evening Alex was still in her lab going over a rapport when Haley entered. “Director Danvers? Agent Dox has informed me that you have been pushing hours. I need my people fresh and sharp … so go home.” She and Alex didn’t see eye to eye on many things, but Alex was a good agent and a fine leader. Pushing herself hard, too hard sometimes. They were very much alike that way. “Whatever your working on will still be here when you get back. Go home and I don’t want to see you here again until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest.” Without another word, Haley turned and marched out of the room.

Alex watched her leave, eyes wide at the unexpected turn of events. Maybe she could go to J'onn and go over the files with him again? Or go home and finally get some laundry done? She took her phone, contemplating if she should call Vin to see if she was busy. But would that come on too strong? They hadn't defined what they were yet. She didn't know if Vin even wanted a relationship with her. She didn’t want to ruin any chances by expecting Vin to spend the evening with her on such short notice. Shoving her phone back in her pocket, Alex secured her lab and headed to the locker room to get changed. 

While she walked to the garage to get her bike, she shot a text to her sister, asking if she wanted to hang out. Kara replied instantly.

_ Kara: I’m at Lena’s. Why don’t you call Vin? _

Alex frowned, wondering the same thing.

_ To Kara: I don’t want to bother her. But it’s ok, I’m gonna watch a movie and get some laundry done. Say hi to Lena for me. _

She got a frowning emoticon in reply and shook her head. Putting away her phone, she put on her helmet, got on her bike and drove home.

Alex threw her keys on the counter and shut the door, going to her fridge for a beer. She pulled out some crackers to munch on and settled on her couch. Laundry could wait. She took the remote and started zapping through her channels, toeing off her boots. 

She lasted about fifteen minutes before her mind started to wander, thinking about a certain tall and gorgeous woman. Would Vin be home from work yet? She knew she and her brother had started a new job and spent long hours at the building site. 

Shaking her head, Alex flipped on Netflix, hoping a movie would take her mind off Vin. 

 

* * *

 

Later that night Vin relaxed with a book and a glass of wine on the couch, dressed in track pants and a t-shirt. Vaan was out with his girlfriend, though Vin couldn’t remember which one. She thought he mentioned a girl named Mona yesterday, but it could very well be someone else already. He moved on quickly. She just hoped he would settle down someday and keep himself safe in the meantime. Taking a sip of her glass, Vin flipped the page, letting herself get lost in the world of Westeros. 

A knock on her door made her frown and wonder who that could be at this hour. Maybe her brother forgot his key again? She placed her book face down on the table and got up to see who it was. When she peeked through the peephole, she opened the latch quickly.

“Alex?” Vin said, wondering why the woman was on her doorstep. “What are you doing here so late?” She stepped back, holding the door open to let her pass. 

Alex did so hastily and Vin could feel the nervous energy radiating from her. “I just needed to see you.” 

Vin closed the door behind them and turned to face Alex, still not sure what to expect. Alex was fidgeting with the edges of her sleeves and seemed unable to stand still. “Did something happen? Is Kara ok?” She watched the news earlier and didn’t see Supergirl featured in anything. 

“Yeah, Kara’s fine.” Alex stopped pacing and looked at Vin, her eyes dark and intense. “It’s just … I was home, alone, watching some crappy movie on Netflix and I started thinking. I don’t want to do that anymore. Alone. I want someone to watch crappy and sappy movies with me. Someone I can cuddle up to and feel safe enough with to fall asleep on their lap. And to wake up with in the morning. And I know we haven’t known each other very long, but I feel safe with you.” She watched Vin swallow, taking in her words. The tall woman blinked a couple of times, losing control of her third eyelid, something Alex learned only happened when the other woman was nervous or afraid. It made her doubt herself. “Maybe this was a bad idea. I’m sorry, this was clearly too soon.” She was about to step past Vin to leave when Vin grabbed her arm, pulling her close. Vin crashed their lips together, her hands cradling Alex’s jaw.

When they broke apart, Alex was grinning like a lunatic. “So … uhm … Does that mean I didn’t make a complete fool of myself just now?” 

Vin chuckled and shook her head. “Nope. That sounded very romantic actually. And I kinda like you too.” Deep down, Vin felt that  _ like  _ was an understatement. But it was the right thing to say at the moment, given that Alex’s smile got even bigger if that was possible. 

Alex worried her lip between her teeth and reached for Vin’s t-shirt, pulling at the front. “Is your brother home?” She asked, her voice deepening, the hidden message in those words could not be misinterpreted. 

“No … he’s out, so he probably won’t be back till morning.” Vin had to swallow again, her throat dry. She looked down when Alex’s hand pulled the shirt up and slipped a hand underneath, her breath hitching when fingers ran across the ridges of her abdominal muscles. She looked up to find darkening eyes watching her reaction. “Are-are you sure?” Cause Vin knew she was hovering on the edge of no return. When Alex nodded, she took a shaking breath. “I wasn’t planning on seducing you in sweats. I had this whole thing planned in my head with a nice suit and a tie and everything.”

“We can do that some other time,” Alex said, finding the idea of Vin wearing a tie very alluring. She bunched the fabric of Vin’s shirt in her fist and pulled her down. “But I like this look too.” 

Vin growled just before Alex pulled her into a scorching kiss. It escalated quickly, turning into a heated clash of tongue and teeth. Vin nudged the jacket from Alex’s shoulders, letting it slip to the floor, her lips never leaving Alex’s. They moved, pushing and pulling each other toward the bedrooms.

Vin took charge as they came into the hallway, pressing Alex against the wall. She nipped at Alex’s neck, enjoying the groans and hitched breaths that escaped her. She stepped back and used her foot to kick open the door to her bedroom, quickly pushing Alex inside, their lips locking once more. 

Alex tugged on the edges of Vin’s shirt and they broke apart to pull it up and over Vin’s head, leaving the taller woman naked from the waist up. Alex swallowed as she stared, hungrily at the woman before her. Vin was built like an athlete. Muscular and lean. Alex reached out a trembling hand and placed it on Vin’s chest, just above her small but perky breasts. She trailed it further to Vin’s shoulder and the tattoo covering it. She knew it was there, as the top lines showed when Vin was wearing a loose shirt. But this was the first time she saw it in full detail. It was a Japanese piece, covering her entire shoulder to mid-biceps and parts of her back. She looked up at Vin to ask permission and smiled when the woman blushed and nodded. Alex studied the beautiful piece, recognizing some of the images. “This is a fu-dog, right?” she said, her fingers trailing the drawing on Vin’s biceps.

“Yes, it's a spirit of protection and guardianship.” Vin took Alex’s hand and moved it higher, where the image turned from dark grey and purple tones to bright red, orange and green. “This is a phoenix. It dies and rises from its ashes to be reborn. And these,” Vin guided Alex’s fingers to the flowers scattered through the tattoo, binding it all together. “These are cherry blossoms. Delicate and beautiful, but they fade fast. They are a reminder that we are mortal and that we should live our lives while we can.”

“It’s beautiful,” Alex admitted. She could guess the hidden meaning behind it all, could almost see the pain left by the death of her brother written in Vin’s eyes. She brought her hand up to Vin’s neck, gently bringing her face down. “You are beautiful.” She closed her eyes when Vin moved forward into a kiss, sighing when she felt Vin relax against her again and deepened the kiss. Her hands trailed down Vin’s back and found the waistband of the sweats, cheekily slipping underneath. She groaned when she didn’t find anything else covering the soft and firm skin. 

Vin jumped slightly at the bold move before she chuckled. “Tomorrow’s laundry day. I didn’t have any clean underwear left.” 

Alex arched an eyebrow and locked her eyes with Vin while her hands found the knot that held the sweats up. She pulled the strings and let them fall to the floor. Only then did she take a step back to admire the goddess before her. 

Vin held up her hands, getting a little cocky at the way Alex was staring at her. She knew she had a fit body, some woman she'd slept with in the past called it too lean, too muscular. But it looked like Alex wouldn't be one of them. “You have way too many clothes on.” 

“Maybe you should do something about that then.”

Grinning, Vin pressed her body against Alex, her hands going under her sweater, causing her to shiver. Vin moved her hands higher, lifting the garment until Alex held up her arms and it slipped over her head. Guiding their lips back together, Vin blindly reached behind Alex and unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the floor, groaning when their bare torsos met. Her fingers found the button of Alex's jeans and she undid it and the zipper, Alex assisting by kicking off her boots, and sliding the unwanted garment down

Alex bit her lip as she watched Vin assess her body, naked but for her panties. Sure she was fit, rigorous training at the DEO kept her in shape. But there were also the scars and Alex felt very self-conscious about those.

Sensing her hesitation, Vin placed a kiss on Alex's neck and placed a hands on her left shoulders, her thumb trailing the angry scar on Alex's collarbone. Her lips moved lower, down Alex's breastbone and Vin sunk to her knees in worship. Her nose nudged at Alex's belly button and she kissed another scar just below it.

Alex moaned at the sensation, feeling herself grow wetter. Fingers unconsciously tugged on brown hair, trying to get Vin to move lower. She felt fingers on the waistband of her panties and looked down into grey eyes, dark and hooded and was surprised how turned on that image made her feel. Vin was a strong and powerful woman, probably more powerful than Alex realized just yet. And she was on her knees in front of her. Loving her. And when Vin groaned when she spotted the dark patch on her undies, Alex felt her knees grow weak. “Vin .. please,” she got out.

Vin hooked her thumbs in Alex's panties and pulled them down, taking her time to kiss down toned legs. She paid extra attention to every scar she found and by the time she had reached the ankle, Alex was swaying on her feet. She moved back up, nipping at the sensitive spot behind her knee. When her nose hit the trimmed patch of hair, she inhaled sharply, taking in the strong and sweet scent that was all Alex. Then she looked up, locking her eyes with the woman above her and let her tongue find that nectar. 

Alex had to grab Vin’s shoulders to keep herself from falling at the first touch of that tongue. She tried to keep eye-contact but failed when Vin found her clit, her eyes fluttering closed. Vin pulled back and she opened them again, letting out a mew in protest from the lost contact. Vin grinned cockily and licked her lips before gently pushing Alex back until she hit the bed and sat down. Spreading Alex’s knees, she dove right back in. Alex moaned loudly letting herself fall backward, one hand wrapped in the sheets, the other still in Vin’s hair. She hooked one leg over Vin’s shoulders, groaning when that move spread herself more open for a wandering tongue. She could no longer control the movements of her hips and was practically humping Vin’s face. She could feel Vin grin, see the delight in her eyes when she glanced down and felt her movements slow down, changing the fast and short licks for broader ones that avoided her clit. 

Vin pulled back for a second, her face disappearing from view and Alex lifted her head to try and see better. Then Vin replaced her tongue with her fingers and Alex’s head slammed back down. Those fingers teased at her entrance for a couple of torturous moments, gathering wetness before one slipped inside, soon followed by a second. Vin’s fingers moved slowly, poking and prodding, searching and Alex shivered, feeling herself grow closer with every passing second. Then she twitched and Vin grinned, feeling the spongy spot beneath her fingers. 

“Sweet Jesus,” Alex mumbled when lips locked around her clit. She bit her lip, eyes squinched, focusing on the multitude of feelings coursing through her body. It was deep, it was powerful … and it was damn scary. 

Vin sped up the movement of her fingers, hooking the tips to drag over Alex’s g-spot. She placed a kiss on top of her clit and looked up. “It’s ok … I’ve got you, Alex. Look at me.” She reached up, covering the hand clenched into the sheets with her own and tangled their fingers together. When Alex opened her eyes and looked at her, she lowered her lips again and closed them around Alex’s clit, sucking gently, her tongue keeping a soft pressure. 

And then it happened. Alex tensed for a second and started to tremble, her mouth opening in a silent scream. Vin felt Alex’s vaginal walls pull at her fingers and she kept still, gently nudging at that special spot inside to coax as much pleasure out of Alex as she could, only stopping when she heard Alex take a deep breath. She slowly withdrew her fingers, causing several small aftershocks, and wiped them on the sheet. Then she got up from the floor, her knees a bit shaky, and crawled on top of Alex, who was still trembling and breathing heavily. She helped Alex to move up, getting more comfortable on the bed and cradled her against her chest, placing soft kissed on her neck and shoulder. 

It was several minutes later when Alex opened her eyes and turned her head, a dazed smile on her face. “Wow,” she breathed out and smiled when Vin grinned. 

“Wow yourself,” Vin answered. “You’re good for my ego.”

Alex slapped her on the shoulder before tangling her fingers back into Vin’s hair, pulling her into a deep kiss. She groaned as she tasted herself on the other woman’s tongue. She put a hand on Vin’s chest and pushed her on her back, following her up to straddle her. She sat up and stretched, spreading her wetness across a hard stomach, her still sensitive clit pulsing at the pressure. Vin slid her hands up from Alex’s tighs to her waist and up to cover her breasts, hard nipples pressing into her palms. Alex let herself enjoy the feeling for a few moments, her hips rocking in pleasure. She was surprised to feel so turned on again, after having come so hard just minutes ago. But first things first. 

She covered Vin’s hands on her breasts with her own and pulled them away, smiling at the sad frown on Vin’s face at being interrupted. She moved their hands down onto the bed and made Vin’s fingers wrap around bars of the headboard. Then she looked down into her eyes. “You keep those there so I can focus.” 

Vin arched an eyebrow and gave a nod. Alex grinned and slid herself down Vin’s body to settle between her legs. She started kissing down the lean body beneath her.

Mumbling and groaning, Vin squeezed her hand so tightly it made the muscles in her forearms pop, needing all of her self control to keep her hands in place. Alex’s lips left goosebumps in their wake and she arched off the bed when lips closed around a nipple. Soon, Alex switched breasts, her fingers closing around the hard wet pebble, every squeeze and pull sending shockwaves directly to her clit. “That feels good,” she gritted between her teeth and felt Alex smile against her skin. Alex’s other hand trailed down her stomach, following the hard lines of muscle, through damp trimmed curls and sunk into wet heat. They groaned in unison at the feeling. 

“I’m not going to last long,” Vin mumbled between moans, being as turned on as she was. She could already feel the tingling in her toes. So Alex dove right in, entering Vin with two fingers, feeling she was more than ready. Vin grunted at the invasion, her hips lifting up from the bed as Alex moved down. “More,” she mumbled and Alex worked in another finger, the palm of her hand grinding against a rock hard clit. The headboard started to creak from the tight grip and for a moment Alex feared Vin would snap the hardwood in half. She didn’t know how strong the woman really was. 

Vin let go of the headboard, using the little amount of control she still had and reached forward, pulling Alex’s lips against her own in a sloppy, open-mouthed kiss. Then she tensed and moaned out her release, the cries muffled by Alex’s lips. She rode out her orgasm, grinding against Alex’s palm until she sagged down into the bed.

Alex was about to slip to her side, giving Vin some space to recover when strong arms wrapped themselves around her, holding her close. 

“Stay, please,” Vin said, her voice hoarse.

Smiling, Alex settled herself on top of Vin, slotting their bodies together. She lay her head down on Vin’s chest, sighing deeply when long fingers trailed through her hair.

After a couple of minutes, Vin chuckled and Alex lifted her head to look at her. “What?”

“This is the best first-time sex I’ve ever had,” Vin admitted with a smirk. 

Alex bit her lip and thought for a moment before looking down and nodding. “Yeah … me too.” She lay her head back down, basking in the feeling of contentment. There was only one first-time that even came close. Maggie. But yeah, Maggie was wonderful and great in bed, but everything was new and unfamiliar to Alex and it took her a while to gain confidence in her skills as a lover. She was used to the whole wham bam thank you ma’am routine from the men she dragged home. 

“What are you thinking about?” Vin asked gently. She could see the wrinkle on Alex’s forehead. 

Alex frowned. “My ex … which is horrible of me at this moment. I’m so sorry.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. I don’t mind. We both have a past. We both have exes.” Vin tucked a strand of hair behind Alex’s ear. “Do you want to tell me about her?” She reached down and pulled at the sheets, covering them both against the chill in the air now that their bodies were cooling down. 

Alex turned slightly, resting her chin on her hands on top of Vin’s chest, enabling her to look into grey eyes. “You sure you don’t mind?” she checked again, but when Vin gave her a nod and a smile, she continued. “Her name was Maggie. And she was the first woman I’d ever had feelings for. If I’m honest, the first person I’ve really had feelings for. Before meeting her, I dated men. Even though it never felt quite right. Maggie made me realize I’d been hiding this piece of myself for years. But then I fell for her, hard. So very hard. And we went through so much together.” Her eyes glazed over, remembering the tragedies and the pain. Remembering Rick Malverne who still haunted her dreams some nights. She blinked, forcing those memories away and closed her eyes for a moment when Vin lovingly stroked her cheek. “I asked her to marry me after we almost died during the Daxamite invasion. And she said yes. But in the end … it became clear that we wanted different things from life and we decided to end it. And it was hard, so hard to let her go. But it was for the best”

“Thank you for telling me that,” Vin said, her voice soft and understanding. 

Alex laid back down, tucked against Vin’s side and relaxed as they fell silent, enjoying the quiet moment. Vin’s thumb was rubbing soothing circles on her shoulder and she let her own fingers wander, trailing up and down Vin’s chest and stomach, pushing the blanket down as she explored the expanse of muscle. She bit her lip, feeling the heartbeat beneath her cheek speed up again. “So … are there any other things you like to do in bed?” 

Vin sniggered. “Insatiable, are you?” She looked down and saw Alex’s eyes darken. “And there are lots of things I like to do. Uhm … let’s see …” She thought it over for a moment. “I’ve done a bit of soft bondage things before. Which was nice. But nothing too serious, or if you’re totally not into that, that’s cool too.” She started talking a bit faster at the end, afraid to scare Alex off. 

“I forgot to mention Maggie was a cop. She had handcuffs,” Alex mentioned with a wink, making Vin blush at the mental image. 

“Okay …” Vin had to clear her suddenly very dry throat. “Uhm … how do you feel about using toys?” 

Alex’s eyes widened. “Do you have any?” 

Vin swallowed and nodded. She leaned to the side, almost falling out of bed, and reached underneath, grabbing a black chest and placing it on the bed in front of Alex, who sat up with curiosity. The chest was locked with a numerical padlock and Vin typed in the combination. “Vaan’s a very curious boy,” she offered as an explanation. When the lock snapped open, Vin opened the lid and handed the chest to Alex. Inside, Alex found a couple of dildos, a harness, some lube, a buttplug, a box of condoms and several lengths of silk that could be used as restrains. 

“Wow,” Alex managed to get out. She and Maggie had used toys before, but very sporadic and she certainly didn’t have such a collection. “Do you use them a lot?”

Vin winced, again hoping she hadn’t scared the other woman. “I like to use them, yeah. But I don’t need them if you don’t like it. I mean that.” She watched as Alex picked up the harness.

“Do you usually wear it?”

“Mostly. I have been on the other side before. I like that too. But most of my previous partners wanted me to wear it.”

Alex got a glint in her eyes. She sat up and quickly slipped the harness around her legs. She glanced at Vin, who just sat there with her jaw dropped. “Any preference?” she asked while rummaging in the chest.

“Uhm … are - are you s-sure?” Vin managed to get out, all of the moisture in her mouth having traveled south. Alex had picked up a dildo, deep blue, medium in size with a curved tip. She held it up, question in her eyes and smiled when Vin nodded, still slack-jawed. She made quick work slipping the dildo into place. 

Vin pulled Alex toward her, covering her mouth with her own, their tongues finding each other. Alex pushed on her shoulders to break them apart. “Lie down, I want to check out that dragon on your back.” Vin arched her eyebrow, wondering what Alex was planning, but laid down on the bed on her stomach. Alex kneeled next to her and let her fingers run down the tattoo that covered the back of Vin’s shoulder and the entire right side of her back. A fierce Japanese dragon in grayscale with just a hint of blue. Lips replaced fingers and a shiver ran down Vin’s spine making her tense up. 

“Shhh …” Alex soothed, letting her lips lightly graze skin. When she felt Vin relax, she moved down, nudging Vin’s legs apart so she could kneel between them and sat back on her heels, caressing the back of Vin’s powerful legs, going higher and higher till her fingers grazed Vin’s ass. The woman was dripping, Alex could see it gleaming against the skin coating her inner thighs. She slowly entered her with two fingers, making Vin suck in a breath between her teeth. Her other hand grabbed Vin by the hip and guided her up to her knees, giving Alex more room to maneuver. She leaned forward and kissed Vin’s lower back, making her arch up into her. Her fingers moved deep, deeper than any other position would allow and she felt Vin grow even slicker. Removing her fingers and grinning when Vin’s hips moved back to chase them, she sat up on her knees and aligned the strap-on. Vin groaned when the head nudged at her entrance and slowly disappeared inside. Alex took her time, letting Vin’s groans and moans guide her, and held still when she bottomed out.

“Shit,” Vin cursed, but Alex knew it was a good response. Any doubts she may have had disappeared when Vin arched up, pressing herself deeper onto Alex’s cock. When Alex started to move, Vin cursed some more and her arms trembled from the effort of holding herself up. Alex pulled out about half-way and slid back in, the movement becoming easier as Vin’s body adjusted. She repeated that a couple of times, entering her a little bit faster at every pass. She bottomed out again when Vin groaned and sank onto her arms, her hands clawing at the sheets. Alex pulled out almost completely and quickly slammed back in, making Vin cry out in pleasure. Redoubling her effort, Alex started fucking Vin in earnest. She dragged her nails over Vin’s back, leaving red marks in their wake and held onto her hips, pulling her ass back in time with her forward strokes. 

“Fuck …” Vin barked out, dragging air into her lungs. Then she tensed, her back arching as she came, crying out her pleasure into the sheets. Alex moved with her, rolling her hips and almost falling over the edge herself at the sight of Vin coming undone. When Vin collapsed beneath her, she held still for a moment before slowly withdrawing, coaxing another tremble out of the spent woman. She rested her forehead against Vin’s ass, feeling her own clit drag against the harness, hard and swollen. She reached down and pushed a hand beneath the leather into her own sex. It only took three rubs before she cried out her own release. She sheepishly looked up to see Vin watching her and almost started to apologize when she recognized the wonder in Vin’s eyes. She blushed at the scrutiny and pushed herself up to her knees. It took her a couple of tries to unclasp the harness and kick it off, letting it drop to the floor. She crawled over to Vin, who still hadn’t really moved, and collapsed next to her. 

The two laid there, both breathing heavily and gazing at each other. Then they started laughing. Vin turned to her side, still feeling giddy, and gathered Alex into her arms, pulling the sheet up to cover them again. Alex turned her head for a kiss, soft and slow, both completely spent. 

Vin reached behind her to flip off the light, throwing them into semi-darkness. She looked down at the woman in her arms, illuminated by the moonlight coming in from the window. She knew what she wanted to say, but was scared to do so. Besides, now, in the throes of passion, was not a good time to bring up the L-word for the first time. So she just settled herself against Alex, the big spoon to her little one and closed her eyes. 

Alex pulled Vin’s arm close against her, slotting herself as snug as she possibly could to Vin’s front. She breathed out and closed her eyes. Feeling safe and content. 

They drifted off to sleep quickly, neither stirring when Vaan came home. Vin’s brother frowned when he saw the leather jacket on the floor and picked it up thinking that it wasn’t like Vin to throw her clothes on the ground. Then he smirked, realizing the jacket was too small to belong to his sister. He hung it on a chair and tiptoed to his room. The door to Vin’s room stood ajar and he glimpsed inside, smiling at seeing the entwined couple on the bed. Then his eyes widened and he quickly averted his gaze, quietly shutting the door and retreating to his own room. He shook his head, trying to get the image of the strap-on laying on the floor out of his head.


	3. Chapter 3

The sunlight coming in through the window slowly caused Alex to wake up from the best sleep she’d had in a long time. Her eyes fluttered open and for a moment she didn’t know where she was. Then her mind connected the memories from last night with the warm body pressed against her back and she smiled, turning her head slowly to look at the sleeping woman next to her. Vin had turned halfway onto her back, her hand still resting on Alex. She was breathing deep and steady with the hint of a soft snore and Alex thought it was the cutest thing she’d ever heard. It made her feel all warm and tingly inside and she felt like she wanted to hear that sound next to her in bed more mornings. Every morning.

Feeling eyes on her, Vin inhaled sharply and blinked. A goofy smile came on her face as she saw Alex gaze at her. “Were you watching me sleep?” she said, her voice rough.

“Would it be creepy if I said yes?”

Vin chuckled. “A little,” she teased and moved her upper body to give Alex a proper kiss. “Mmmm … Good morning.” She moved back in for a second peck.

Alex breathed out in bliss. “This feels good,” she mumbled, glad to see Vin smile at her words. “But I do need to pee.” Barking out a laugh, Vin pointed at the door in the corner of her room. She watched as Alex slipped out of bed, her eyes following her through the room and into the bathroom.

Taking care of business, Alex looked around the small bathroom. It only had a toilet, sink and walk-in shower, but everything was placed practically and taking full advantage of the small space. Done, Alex washed her hands and called out through the half-open door, “Do you happen to have a spare toothbrush I can use?”

“Sure, cabinet under the sink. There are fresh towels there too if you want to take a shower.”

Deciding to take Vin up on the offer, Alex brushed her teeth and hopped into the shower for a quick wash. While she was drying off, she looked at herself in the mirror and giggled at the silly smile that was planted firmly on her face and the twinkle in her eyes. She hung the towel on the hook by the sink and spotted the robe hanging from the door. Thinking Vin wouldn’t mind, she slipped it on and padded back into the bedroom.

Vin had propped herself up on her bed, hands behind her head as she watched Alex approach. The way her eyes roamed over Alex’s body made her blush, but Vin was glad when Alex let the robe hang open. “You’re the sexiest thing that’s ever been inside my bathrobe.”

“You are a smooth talker,” Alex drawled. “But I disagree. I’m sure you’ve worn it before.”

Vin took the edges of the robe and coaxed Alex back into bed, biting her lip when Alex came up to straddle her. She leaned forward and captured Alex’s lips in a slow but deep kiss. They were both out of breath when they broke apart and rested their foreheads together.

“I can make us some breakfast. Or do you need to head back?” Vin said, her eyes still closed.

“I can do breakfast. Can you loan me some clothes?” Alex crawled off Vin and allowed the other woman to get up.

Vin took her pants and shirt from the floor and shrugged them on. She had a day off and could always shower later. She pointed at the door next to the bathroom. “Take your pick. I’ve got some old sweats that should probably fit you.” She ducked into the bathroom to freshen up.

Alex opened the door and gasped. The room was probably once part of the bathroom and had been converted into a dressing room. One wall was filled with shelves, piled high with shirts, folded pants and shoes. The other side was racks of hangers, full of suits of different colors and styles. Out of curiosity, Alex picked out a few for a closer look. Most reminded her of old gangster style, but some were in a more modern cut. Chuckling, Alex turned to the shelves and found some sweats and a shirt she could wear. She tugged them on and returned to the bedroom, finding Vin waiting for her. “I have to ask, what’s with the suits?”

Vin blushed and rubbed the back of her neck. “That’s a bit of a long story actually. When we first got here, the captain of the cargo ship dropped us off at a shelter. We were relatively safe there, but very lonely. We were the only kids at the time and we didn’t speak English.” She sat down at the edge of the bed and continued, Alex listening with a soft smile. “There was this old TV that kept playing the same movies over and over again. And one of them was The Godfather.” She smiled at the memory. “I must have watched it a hundred times. I thought those men were just so cool. It was only later that I actually understood what it was about.”

Alex stepped closer and ran a hand through Vin’s hair, sighing when the woman leaned her head against her stomach, enjoying the caress.

“When I first started speaking English, it was with a fake Italian accent. Took me a while to get rid of that,” Vin looked up when she heard Alex chuckle and joined in. “Come on, I think I promised you breakfast.” She stood and took Alex’s hand, guiding her to the kitchen. She opened her fridge. “Let’s see … I’ve got eggs, cheese. Milk. A couple of bagels. And that’s about it. Guess someone forgot his chore for the week was going grocery shopping.” She looked at Alex with a sheepish expression. “So I guess it’s omelets and bagels? Unless you rather go out to eat.”

“Eggs sound great, thanks. I usually only have coffee for breakfast,” Alex said as she hopped onto the counter, wanting to stay close to Vin.

Vin started to work on the food with a practiced hand and soon plated up two portions of steaming eggs. Alex had figured out the complicated coffee maker and they sat down for breakfast.

At the first bite, Alex moaned at the flavor. “Damn. I didn’t know eggs could taste so good.”

Vin shrugged. “One of my first jobs was at a diner. I made omelets and pancakes all day. It was crappy pay and long hours, but the owners didn’t ask questions.” She thought for a moment, swallowing a mouthful of egg. “You can tell Kara I’ll do her interview.”

“Really? She’ll be ecstatic.”

“I’ve been thinking about it and maybe it’ll help more people to understand what it was like. Coming here all these years ago. How hard it is to integrate into the human world. And I’m one of the lucky ones, I look human enough. It’s even harder for those that don’t.”

They were interrupted by the sound of footsteps and a knock on the doorframe as Vaan poked his head inside. “Morning sis! Hi Alex!” He wandered into the kitchen and looked into the frying pan, frowning when he found it empty. “Oh man. You didn’t save me any?”

“You buy groceries, I cook you food. That was the deal,” Vin said, winking at Alex, who smiled at the interaction.

Vaan walked over and snatched the last bagel from Vin’s plate, jumping back and around her chair out of her reach. “You snooze, you lose, sis.” He popped the bagel into his mouth. “I’ll go shopping in a bit,” he added with his mouth full, ignoring the crumbs falling to the floor. Giving them a thumbs up, he wandered back into his room.

Vin shook her head, glancing at Alex who was covering her mouth as she laughed. “Boys.”

The rest of their breakfast was spent talking about small things and soon Vin was loading up the dishwasher while Alex put on her boots and jacket. They said their goodbyes at the door, locking their lips together for much longer than they had anticipated.

“I’ll tell Kara to call you to set up that interview,” Alex said, her head resting on Vin’s chest, trying hard not to purr when Vin’s fingers stroked through her hair.

“Ok. I should be able to fit it in some time toward the end of the week.” Vin kissed the crown of Alex’s hair before she stepped back, opening the door to let her out.

Alex couldn’t resist and stole another long kiss while she stepped backward into the hallway. “Bye,” she murmured as she finally stepped back.

“Bye,” Vin answered with a goofy smile. She kept looking until Alex disappeared from view and then closed the door behind her.

“You two are so cute,” Vaan quipped. He was sitting on the couch, tying his sneakers. Vin shook her head to try and hide the blush. It made Vaan smile. He moved to the door and fished his keys out of the bowl. “I’m going to the store. See you in a bit.”

Vin nodded and took a breath. “Time for laundry,” she told herself and got to work.

 

* * *

 

 

A couple of days later, Alex, Kara, and Nia walked through the door of the bookstore/coffee shop where Vin had agreed to meet with them for the interview. The shop was brand new and Kara didn’t know where to look first. It had a cozy and relaxed interior, with a lot of wooden accents that worked well in combination with the rows and rows of books. Several tables stood scattered between them, most unoccupied at this hour.

“I can’t believe I’ve never been here before,” Nia mentioned, looking around in awe. She loved books and felt right at home.

A young woman came toward them with a smile. “Can I help you?”

Kara pushed at her glasses and smiled. “We’re looking for Vin?”

“Oh yes, she’s up there. I’ll come up in a bit to take your orders.” The woman pointed to the back of the store, where a wooden staircase led to a mezzanine.

Thanking her, the trio made their way up and found Vin sitting on a couch and paging through the newspaper, an empty mug on the table in front of her. Seeing them approach, Vin put down the paper and stood to greet them.

Nia and Kara held back to let Alex go first, both smiling when the woman who was normally so tough seemed to melt at Vin’s touch. They kissed softly and Alex moved back, taking a seat on the couch next to Vin.

Kara stepped forward. “Hey, Vin. I hope you don’t mind that I brought Nia with me.”

“Of course not.” Vin held out her hand for Nia to take. “I really enjoyed that article you did a while back about the fashion industry. You called fashion an art form. How we dress a strong expression of who we are on the inside. That was a solid article.”

Nia blushed and bit her lip at the praise. She took Vin’s hand. “Thank you. I was glad Mr. Olson decided to publish it.”

“Of course he did,” Kara intervened, beaming at Nia like the proud mentor she was. She sat down in the seat to Vin’s right, letting Nia have the one on the left, and took out her notebook and recording device.

The waitress came up to ask for their orders, picking up Vin's empty mug. Alex ordered a black coffee and both Kara and Nia went for something fancy and sugary, making both Alex and Vin scrunch up their nose.

“Thanks for agreeing to do this interview,” Kara started.

“It's my pleasure. I hope I’m interesting enough to write something good about.” Vin looked up when the waitress returned, four steaming mugs on her plate. “Thanks, Jen,” Vin said when she placed one in front of her. She entwined her fingers with Alex’s. “Oh, hey, Jen? This is Alex.”

The woman smiled at them both, “I had a feeling she was. Nice to finally meet you.” She said the last part with a wink, making Alex blush and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

Kara accepted her drink and decided to help her sister out, taking the attention away from a blushing Alex. “This is a nice place. I love the way the woodwork curves around the ceiling and how the design comes back in the tables and the staircase."

Jen nudged her head at Vin with a wide smile. “The magician carpenter is sitting right there.” She placed the last mug in front of Nia. “If I can get you anything else, just give me a yell.” She hurried back down the stairs with a skip in her step.

“You built this?” Alex asked, looking at Vin in awe.

“Not alone. Vaan helped. But yeah, I love working with wood and this was a great project. I’ve knows Jen for ages. Didn’t hesitate when she asked.” Vin picked up her mug and blew at it before taking a sip. “So Kara. What do you need from me?”

“You've read my articles. I like to write about the reason people come to Earth. What their life was like before. People love to read about other planets, other ways of life.” Kara clicked on her recorder and opened her notebook. “But you can always decide what you want in the article. Or what you don't. You get to read it before printing and get the final say.”

Vin nodded, a thoughtful look on her face. “My story isn't pretty. I'll tell you that. But you can write about everything, except my brothers. I rather keep them out of it. You can mention them, but not in detail. Is that ok?”

“Perfect,” Kara agreed. She glanced at Nia, seeing that she was also ready with a notebook in hand. “How about you start by telling us a bit about yourself and where you come from?”

“Well, I'm Vin Vecsei and I was born on a planet called Vana'diel. My planet was home for two species, the Viera and the Cie'th. Both claimed ownership of our planet and had been on and off at war for several centuries.” Vin paused for a moment. “When I was about five years old, the Cie'th had a medical breakthrough. They discovered a treatment that allowed them to get … superpowers, I guess you could call it. That was a turn in the war. They started to conquer more and more land, enslaving the Viera. By the time I escaped, there was barely any Viera land left.” She watched Kara and Nia scribble and glanced to her side at Alex, who squeezed her hand in support.

Vin took a deep breath, knowing this part was where it got ugly. “My father was one of the leaders of the resistance. He was a hero to me and my younger brother. I was 10 when he was caught, Vaan just turned 6.” She swallowed audibly. “My mother was heavily pregnant with Varrik. Dad was so proud he was going to be a father again. It was unexpected. But then he made a mistake.” She cleared her throat and had to blink away a stray tear. “They uhm … they executed him as an example. And they made us all watch.”

“Sweet Rao,” Kara gasped. “That's horrible.”

Vin sniffed and gave a sad grin, willing the memories away. “Yeah … it was .. but anyway, after that, my mom decided to try and get out. It took her a year of careful planning, watching more and more Viera die before she could secure a place for us on a cargo vessel. I wanted her to come, but she said she couldn't. She had taken her husband's place in the resistance and needed to stay and fight. At least we would be safe. It was a couple of months after we got here that I heard about the genocide.” Vin swallowed audibly, feeling Alex move closer.

Kara turned her recorder off for a moment, wanting to give Vin some time to compose herself. She knew what it felt like to leave your world behind. To be what remained of an entire race. “Could there be more Viera that escaped?”

“Possibly. I've never met any. Maybe some made their way to other planets? I wonder about that sometimes.” Vin spent the first months on Earth wondering, hoping that someone would come and find her. She nodded her head at the recording device and Kara turned it back on.

Vin continued her story. “We ended up in a shelter for a while and they helped us adjust to Earth. But we couldn't stay there forever. I needed money to take care of my brothers. Vaan needed to go to school if he ever wanted to build a normal life here. So I worked … every job I got offered. I worked at a diner at first, in the kitchen. Got me started. Taught me to speak decent English too. Then I moved on to work in factories.”

“But you were just a kid,” Nia wondered.

Vin turned to her with a grin. “Viera are tall. In fact, I practically stopped growing when I got here. I think it has something to do with the radiation of Earth's sun. I started working in the factory when I was 14 and they allowed it because I looked several years older. And I had a fake ID claiming I was 18. That was the only way I managed to keep my brothers with me and get them enrolled in school.” She looked back at Kara, waiting for the next question.

“How did your brothers integrate themselves? They were younger, so I think it must have been easier?” Kara asked.

“In a way, yes. Vaan never had much trouble fitting in. His natural defense abilities, those that separate us from humans, never truly kicked in. He's stronger, faster … but that's easy to hide. I don't think he gives it much thought these days.” Vin drained her mug. “Varrik was different. But maybe that was just because he was so young. He died when he was 7.”

Vin fell silent, fighting the memories of her brother. Alex was absently rubbing circles on the back of her hand with her thumb. It helped.

Kara gathered that that subject was off limits for now. And she didn't think it was wise to push. “Thank you for telling us this. I promise I’ll keep the details out of the finished article. Can you tell us a bit about those natural defense abilities you spoke about?”

“Sure. Let's see ... Viera have evolved to survive in harsh climates. Vana’diel gets really hot during summer and winters are cold and harsh. Annual seasons don't exist. It's more like a cycle, lasting several years at a time. During the summer years, the environment becomes a desert. We get lots of sandstorms. That's where our third eyelid comes from. It protects our eye while allowing us to see through it. And it protects from the glare of the sun on snow during winter. But the most obvious defense happens when we prepare for attack. We are a race of warriors, with superior strength, speed, sight and smell. We … shift, I think is the right word, during combat. Teeth, claws … I'm sure you can use your imagination.” She picked up her cup for a long drink. “Before you ask, I’ve never fully shifted before. I don't even know if I could.”

Kara took some notes, deciding to take the interview to a different subject. “You managed to build a successful business with your brother. Can you tell us a bit about that?”

“Vecsei Siblings Construction. Yes.” Vin regained the glint in her eyes, able to talk about something she was very proud of. “I learned some basic construction skills in the factories and found out I really enjoyed working with wood. But it was only when Vaan graduated from college that we started thinking about starting something like that. I never went to school. I don't know enough about math or physics to run a complete building site. I did complete a course on bookkeeping, but drawing sketches or calculating angles … that's all Vaan. I just make stuff.”

“You make great stuff,” Alex countered.

“Well, I am pretty good with my hands,” Vin drawled, glancing at Alex who blushed ferociously.

Kara coughed and blushed, pushing at her glasses. She didn't need to hear that. “I think I have enough to get started on the article,” she said, turning off the recording device and putting it in her bag. “Do you mind if Nia takes some pictures to go with it? The decor here is excellent.”

When Vin nodded, Nia took out her camera. “Maybe over there? The light coming in from the window should make it look just perfect.” She pointed Vin to a space on the other side of the mezzanine.

Vin followed her instructions, feeling a bit nervous when Nia flashed her camera. Then she saw Alex gazing at her from a distance and saw the affection in her eyes. It made Vin relax and soon Nia announced she had enough shots.

Jen had come up to gather their empty mugs. “Put it on my tab,” Vin told her, ignoring the other three protesting.

Nodding, Jen picked up her tray. “You really need to come over for dinner. It's been too long. The kids miss their aunty Vin.” Vin blushed and looked down, missing the curious look Alex threw her way. “Ryan should be home from his business trip tomorrow. I’m sure he’d love to finally get to meet Alex.” Jen winked at Alex, who smiled back with a nod, happy to be given the chance to meet some of Vin’s friends.

“I’ll call you,” Vin replied.

Alex’s phone pinged and she looked at the screen. “That’s my cue. I have to go into work.” She stood up on her toes to give Vin a quick kiss. “I’ll call tonight?” She said goodbye to her sister and Nia, waving at Jen who had retreated behind the counter and left the shop.  She didn’t pay attention while she made her way onto her bike and slipped on her helmet before driving off. Otherwise, she might have spotted the dark car parked on the other side of the road or the glint from the camera.

“She a target?” The gruff man asked, snapping a last shot of the back of the motorcycle as it disappeared from view. He looked behind him at his passenger. 

“No … Not directly. Just wait for it.”

The photographer shrugged and returned to look through his camera. A couple of minutes later, Vin, Kara, and Nia came out of the shop and the man took several pictures.

“There. That tall one. She’s a target.” The man clenched his fist in anger as he watched Vin hug first Kara and then Nia. “That’s the one who’s been defiling my daughter.”

Snapping several more shots, the photographer turned to his boss and raised his eyebrows. He didn’t know the man had a daughter, let alone one that appears to be an Earth traitor. “I think we have enough to send out, sir. We can make this one a top priority.”

Jeremiah Danvers nodded in consent and watched as the other man put down his camera and started the car, pulling away from the curb. He would save his daughter, no matter what.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning: following has a part of pretty graphic sub/dom breath play … or whatever you’d call it. If you’re not into that, just skip the shower scene. Always remember, consent is sexy! 
> 
> After that, we find out more about Vin's past and old demons resurface.
> 
> Let's bring on the angst!

Alex woke up to the sounds and smells of sizzling bacon. She rolled onto her back and stretched her arms above her head before sitting up in the bed, not caring when the sheets slipped down. Her eyes found Vin manning the stove and she settled against the headboard. It was one of the advantages of her open planned apartment. She could just lay back and watch the muscles in Vin’s shoulders work as the woman flipped the bacon. 

They’d been dating for two months now and Alex mused that she was happier than she had been in a long time. The emptiness she had experienced since her break-up with Maggie had slowly been filled, without her even realizing it. 

Vin turned her head and found Alex watching her. She smiled brightly. “Hey, you. Good morning.” She turned back to the stove and took her pan, shaking the cooked bacon on a plate. She gathered some other items onto a tray and carried it to the bed.

“I need to plan on some extra hours at the gym if you keep spoiling me like this,” Alex mentioned, sitting up to make room for Vin to place the tray down. It was filled with eggs, bacon, and toast, together with two steaming mugs.

Vin handed Alex a cup of black coffee. “I think we burned off enough calories last night, don’t you think? And we could burn off some more after breakfast ...” 

Alex almost choked on her coffee at the insinuation. Or was it the sneaky fingers that trailed up her thigh? She squinted her eyes at Vin, taking another sip to try (and fail) to hide her reaction. It didn’t sound like a bad idea at all. “If we do, we’d never make it in time for work.” She popped a piece of toast into her mouth.

“We could always call in sick.” Vin innocently spooned some egg on her toast and took a bite. They sniggered into their breakfast. 

When the food was all but gone, Alex’s eyes fell on the CatCo magazine that lay on her bedside table. It was the newest edition, hitting the stores today. “Are you nervous?” 

Vin took a breath and grabbed the magazine, looking down at her own face. “A little … I didn’t expect to be on the cover.” It was only a small picture, at the lower corner of the cover, so Vin hoped most of the attention would be drawn away from her. And it was the picture with her hat covering most of her face. People who didn’t really know her wouldn’t recognize her. The article itself was four pages long and had two more photos. It was the longest interview in Kara’s series. “I don’t know what to expect. I’m not exactly  _ out  _ as an alien.” The article was beautifully written and shone a good light on her life here on Earth and on where she came from, without hiding the dark and painful parts. Kara claimed it was important to let people know why most aliens sought refuge on another planet.

Alex finished her coffee and placed it on the tray. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Realizing her girlfriend could use a distraction, she slipped out of bed and took Vin’s hand. “Come on. We have time for a shower.” She guided a willing Vin behind her to the bathroom.

Coming up behind her as they crossed the threshold, Vin pulled Alex flush against her body. “Are you sure we have time for a  _ shower _ ?” The way Vin leered on the word shower made Alex shiver. 

“I’m sure we can make time,” Alex replied and turned in Vin’s embrace. She reached up and pulled Vin’s head down, their lips locking. Vin groaned into the kiss and her hand slid down to Alex’s ass, cupping the firm flesh before flexing her muscles and lifting the smaller woman up. She moved a couple of steps to the small counter and sat Alex down next to the sink, the kiss deepening. Vin moved back for a moment, breathing heavy, and pulled her tank top over her head, wondering why she had bothered putting on clothes in the first place. Alex assisted, slipping her hand down to the hem of Vin’s boxers, shoving them down over slender hips. 

Reaching out, Vin turned on the water of the shower to let it warm before covering Alex’s lips again, her tongue delving between open lips. A few minutes later, she stepped back and let Alex hop down the counter, leading her into the tub and underneath the warm spray. There, she wasted no time and turned Alex around, pressing her front against the cool shower wall. Alex let out a little squeak in surprise but it turned into a long moan when she felt Vin press herself against her back. The combination of the cool tiles against her front and the warm body behind her made her head swim with arousal. Her hands were spread against the wall, the position rendering her almost helpless.

“This ok?” Vin whispered in her ear and Alex nodded enthusiastically. Vin chuckled low in her throat, sounding almost like a growl. Her hands slipped between Alex and the wall, one between her breasts and the other moving lower. Alex shivered when fingers combed through her pubic hair but it was nothing compared to the feeling of Vin’s other hand locking around her throat. It wasn’t something Alex had imagined she’d enjoy, thinking it would bring back other, nasty memories. But it had the opposite effect as Vin soon found out, as she felt the gush of wetness against her fingers. “Color?” Vin growled out, just to make sure as she tightened her grip around Alex’s throat. It wasn’t enough to really hurt the other woman, but just the right amount of pressure to render Alex completely at her mercy.

“G-Green,” Alex choked out, not believing how turned on this position made her. Vin growled again, her face buried against Alex’s neck, her body still pressed against Alex. 

Vin pushed a thigh between Alex’s legs, making her spread them wider, opening herself to Vin’s finger that slipped between her lower lips and found her clit. Alex let out a high pitched groan. “You like this, huh?” Vin’s voice was low and gravelly. She pulled Alex’s head against her shoulder, adding more tension around her throat. “You like being at my mercy like this?” Alex gave a slight nod, surprising herself. Vin’s fingers slowly circled around her clit, working her up but not touching where Alex desperately needed it. She tried to move her hips, but Vin pressed her upper body closer, pinning her tighter against the wall. “Oh no, you’re not getting what you want so easily.” She turned her head and nipped at Alex’s ear. “I wish I was wearing my strap-on. I’m imagining myself fucking you with it right now.” To add to the mental image, Vin moved her hips against Alex’s ass making her groan. Alex was sure she could come from that alone, she was so close already. Then Vin’s fingers finally brushed across her clit, timing her strokes with the humping on her ass and Alex was done for. Her eyes rolled back as she came, harder than she ever had before. She vaguely felt Vin release the grip on her throat, allowing her to suck in big gulps of air as her other hand played around her clit, milking out every drop of pleasure they possibly could. She sagged against Vin, bonelessly and completely spent. Vin cradled her against her body, softly stroking her and whispering soothing words into her ear. 

It took a couple of minutes before Alex became aware of herself again and she blinked open her eyes. Vin breathed out in relief, she was starting to get a little worried there. “You ok?” she asked. “Was that too much?”

Alex shook her head, a little bit shy. Vin smiled and placed a soft kiss on Alex’s neck. “Come on, let’s get you washed.” She took the loofah from the hook and lathered it up before turning to Alex and starting to gently wash her, taking extra care with the tender area around her throat. As she checked for bruises, she was relieved to find none. Only a tint of redness remained, but Vin was sure it would fade before Alex got to work. 

By the time Vin had rinsed all the soap from Alex’s body, Alex had found her voice again. “That was … unexpected,” she mumbled, a blush on her cheeks. 

“Good unexpected?” Vin questioned, taking a moment to wash.

Alex waited until Vin turned off the water before leaning up for a kiss. “The best unexpected.” 

Vin grinned like a Cheshire cat and climbed out of the tub, taking a towel for herself and one for Alex. She started drying herself.

Taking the towel, Alex frowned at Vin. “Wait? What about you?”

“Trust me, that mental image you just gave me is enough to last me for a while.” Vin winked and Alex blushed again. “Besides, I’m pretty sure we’re going to be late enough as it is.” That got Alex moving and the two hurried to dry themselves and get ready for work. 

Alex slipped on her jacket and grabbed her keys. “You still up for tonight? J’onn really wants to meet you.”

Vin nodded as she tied her shoes and took the small backpack she’d brought. “Yup. I’ll come to pick you up at 7?

“Barring any emergencies,” they both said at the same time and started laughing.  
  


* * *

 

“For the last time, Vin, you look fine,” Alex said, a smile in her voice. She pushed open the door and took Vin's hand, pulling her into the bar.

Vin pulled at her shirt one last time and took a nervous breath. “I want to make a good impression on your friends. This J'onn guy? He's like your dad!”

Alex found it adorable, the way Vin who was normally so self-assured was afraid to meet up with J'onn. Kara and Lena would be there too, acting as a buffer should it be necessary. “You’ll do fine.” She spotted her sister at their usual table, talking intensely with Lena. Alex wondered if Kara would finally go for it, now that Lena had broken off things with James. “There they are, let's go.”

J'onn was sitting with his back to them, but the psychic could feel Alex come near. He turned with a smile on his face, ready to greet his surrogate daughter. Then his eye fell on Vin and his smile dropped, eyes widening in shock. 

Alex stopped when she saw the look on his face and she felt Vin stiffen next to her. She turned to face her, getting worried when she saw fear and anguish written on Vin’s face when her eyes locked with J’onn. 

“You …” Vin mumbled and Alex realized the woman wasn’t breathing. She reached out to take Vin’s arm, the touch jolting her out of shock. Vin pulled her arm back, her eyes finding Alex and she took a step back, breathing hard and fast to drag air into her lungs. “I’m sorry, I can’t.” She turned and ran out of the bar.

Alex looked at J’onn in shock. She found both Lena and Kara staring at her in worry. “Uhm … I’ll be right back.” She ran out and found Vin outside leaning against the wall. “Are you all right?” Vin’s face was crumpled and she was still on the edge of hyperventilating and Alex kept her distance, not knowing if her touch would be welcome at the moment.

Vin managed to slow down her breathing. She opened her eyes and saw Alex standing there, worried for her, and Vin felt horrible to have been the cause of that. She thought she was past it, thought she had her emotions handled. But she felt dangerously close to losing control and she didn’t want Alex to see that. She pushed herself from the wall. “I’m fine.” She turned her back to Alex and started to walk away. “Go back to your friends. I need to be alone right now.”

Alex was taken aback by the coldness in her voice, having never seen this side of Vin before. She stood there, watching Vin’s retreating back, not knowing what to do. Finally, she shook her head and went back into the bar. If Vin didn’t want to answer her questions, someone else would.

Kara met her at the door and they walked to their table together. “Is everything ok? What happened?” 

“That’s what I’d like to know,” Alex said, catching J’onn’s eyes.

J’onn closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. “I”m sorry. If I had known you were dating her … I could have at least warned you.”

“Warned me for what? What happened between you two?” Alex took the stool directly in front of J’onn, her eyes boring into his. Kara went back to her seat next to Lena.

“We’ve met a long time ago. On a case. It was back when I was still posing as Director Henshaw. It was one of those cases I could never completely let go of.” J’onn started to recount the event.

 

* * *

 

“What have we got, Simmons?” Hank asked the man coming his way, ducking underneath the police tape. 

Simmons shook his head. “Something weird again, director. That’s why they called us in.” He led his boss through the playground, stopping beside the slide.

Hank blew out a breath at the sight of the body of a young child, gunshot wound through the chest. It looked like a normal, human boy, but he knew better than to rely on appearances alone.

“The shooter is in custody. He was just a man playing with his son. He thought he saw a monster and wanted to protect the other children.” Simmons kneeled next to the body and looked closely. “He’s not known to law enforcement for anything, has no known psychiatric problems, doesn’t do drugs or excessive drinking. We’ll do a tox screen to be sure, but he keeps screaming he saw a monster.”

Hank allowed himself a moment to let it all sink in. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time things like this happened. It was the whole reason aliens needed to stay hidden.

“Varrik!!” 

The scream made Hank look to the left, where he saw the local police force trying to hold back a young woman. Shaking his head, he went to assist. “Excuse me … hey!” The last yell got her attention and she stopped shoving at the officers. 

“Let me through! That’s my brother!” The girl was in shock and Hank had to help in containing her. She was clearly not human, having no problem resisting the four men trying to contain her. 

Hank took hold of the girl’s face, forcing her to look into his eyes. “Your brother is dead. I’m sorry. But you have to calm down.” The girl’s grey eyes filled up with tears and she started to shake. He saw the changes in her eyes and shook her hard to get her attention. “You have to control yourself.” He hoped the girl would listen before he had no choice but to bring her in as a rogue alien. He was relieved when his words seemed to have effect when she blinked and calmed down. 

Sending off the officers with a nod, he started to guide the girl to his car, wanting to get her somewhere safer to talk. He opened the passenger door and sat her down, kneeling before her. “My name is Hank Henshaw. I work for an organization dedicated to protecting this world. And that includes keeping our alien visitors hidden and protected.” He saw the girl’s eyes widen. “Can you tell me your name and where you’re from?”

The girl took a breath and started talking, her voice soft and breakable. “My name is Vin Vecsei. I’m a Viera from Vana’diel.”

Hank nodded. A Viera … that explained a lot. “Your brother, he must have lost control of his abilities.” Something flashed behind the girl’s eyes and he explained himself. “The man who shot your brother. He thought he saw a monster and wanted to protect the other children.” Hank got back to his feet as he could sense the girl getting angry.

“And that makes it alright?!” Vin stood and looked at Hank in disbelief. “That  _ monster  _ was a 7-year-old boy. Yes, he wasn’t born on this planet, but does that makes this ok? Does that give him the right to kill my baby brother? Where is he anyway? I’ll show him a  _ monster _ !” She growled out the last word as her vocal cords stretched, her teeth lengthening to fangs. Her eyes turned red, with elongated pupils and a third eyelid appearing in the corner. 

Hank pushed Vin back into the car, knowing that he needed to act fast or he’d have a fully shifted Viera on his hands. If anyone were to see that, she’d spend the rest of her life in a dark, black box. “Snap out of it!” His eyes flashed red, showing his Martian form for a moment. He read her mind, catching the thoughts that roamed through her head. “Look, I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do about your brother. But I rather not have to arrest you too. Then who would be left to take care of Vaan?” 

Vin gasped and deflated, her features returning back to human. She glared at Hank, quickly realizing the thoughts she had about her brother were being transmitted to him. Those cursed psychics … Nothing is sacred for them. She pushed him away and spat on the floor. “Do your friends know about you, Martian?” The way he reared back gave her that answer. “Then leave me alone and it’ll stay that way.” She pushed past him, but he took her by the arm to stop her.

“Keep yourself and your brother in line. Don’t give us a reason to come for you.” Hank’s tone was low and threatening, hoping to scare Vin enough to keep her off the DEO radar. Vin pulled her arm loose and glared at him before turning and stomping away.

Hank watched her disappear into the crowd and shook his head sadly. 

 

* * *

 

“I kept an eye on her for a couple of years. Even helped her out a few times, donating money or equipment, without her knowledge. Guess I felt guilty. I still do,” J’onn finished his story with his eyes down. He looked up when Alex covered his hand with her own. She was lost for words but needed him to know that she didn’t blame him. 

Kara stepped up and hugged him. “It’s not your fault, J’onn. The DEO was a completely different organization back then. There was nothing you could do.” Her eyes found Alex’s and saw her nod.

Alex pulled back. “I need to find Vin. Explain … stuff. Make sure she’s ok.” Before she left, she came up to J’onn’s other side and joined the hug. 

J’onn took a shuddering breath. “Please … tell her I’m sorry.” 

Alex nodded with a sad smile and walked out, leaving J’onn in the good hands of Kara and Lena. She hopped onto her bike and sped off to Vin’s building. The door at the entrance still wasn’t fixed and she ran through it, up the stairs and to the correct apartment door. She knocked, hoping Vin had come here. A few moments later, Alex heard a shuffle behind the door and it opened. 

Vin swallowed when she saw Alex standing there. She opened it wider and let her enter. Without a word, Vin shuffled to the couch and sat down, crawling into a miserable ball. 

Alex followed, worried at the state her girlfriend was in. She was so used to seeing Vin neat and composed. Now she looked worn and disheveled. Her entire posture had changed and gave off an aura of defeat. Alex sat down next to her, keeping a bit of distance between them. She kept silent, waiting for Vin to let her in.

“I’m sorry,” Vin whispered after a while, her red-rimmed eyes looking at Alex. “I shouldn’t have run.”

Alex slowly placed a hand on Vin’s arm. “It’s ok. If I had known what happened …” she let her words trail off, not knowing what to add. 

“He goes by J’onn now? The Martian? Good for him.” 

“What happened to Varrik was horrible. And the way things were handled back then were too. But that’s a long time ago and we’ve grown since then.”

“You’re DEO then?” Vin didn’t sound angry or accusing. Only stating a fact. When Alex nodded, she continued, “Makes sense. Supergirl is your sister. A Martian is your father figure.” She shook her head, letting her gaze drift forward again as she fell silent. Alex moved a little closer, glad to see that Vin didn’t pull back. 

“I’m not angry with J’onn,” Vin finally admitted. “Or the DEO. Not really.” She took a breath. “I’m mad at myself. The day we fled Vana’diel, my mom made me swear to watch over my brothers. And I failed. I was so wrapped up in my own life … work …  _ girls  _ …” she spat out the last word. “Vaan fit in so well that I missed the signs that Varrik was struggling. I stopped making time for him, to train and teach him.” Vin got up from the couch and started pacing. “He wouldn’t have been there, in that park, if it wasn’t for me. If I hadn’t told him to wait there after school. I should’ve been there,” she was starting to breathe faster and shallower. “I should’ve picked him up like I was supposed to do.” She buried her hands in her hair, feeling the walls close in.

Alex saw the panic attack happen and got up, taking Vin by the shoulders and forcing her to look into her eyes. “Breathe, Vin.” She shook her by the shoulders to try and snap her out of shock, exaggerating her own breathing. Vin took a few slower breaths, following Alex’s example. Her knees buckled and Alex caught her, slowly bringing them both to the floor. Vin buried her face in Alex’s neck and broke down.

It took a while before Alex felt Vin’s sobs ease up as she kept rubbing soothing circles on the tall woman’s back, and she wondered how long she had been bottling these feelings up. She wiped at her own cheeks when she felt Vin move back, her eyes glued to the floor in embarrassment. 

“Look at me, please,” Alex asked. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. You were a teenager, a child. Your brother’s death was not your fault.” She trailed a hand through Vin’s messy hair. “Have you ever talked to anyone about it? A counselor?” 

Vin huffed and shook her head. “I’m an alien, Alex. Up until a couple of years ago, I didn’t exist. Now we get registered. Besides, I can handle my emotions … normally. Just, seeing J’onn. It triggered them. I’ll be fine.” She sniffed and wiped at her face before getting up from the floor. Reaching down, she held out a hand to help Alex to her feet. “I’m just sorry you had to see that.”

Alex could see Vin bringing up her walls and shook her head. “Bottling all of that up … That’s not healthy. I know that. I lived that. And I’m not too proud to admit that I see a counselor once in a while to help me deal with the horrors of my life. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” Alex knew that was true, having lost herself in the bottom of a bottle too many times to count. That didn’t help. Talking about it did. “I know some good counselors, Vin. People who’ve worked with aliens before. Who might be able to understand where you’re coming from.

Vin started pacing again, turning her back to Alex and running her hands through her hair. “I don't think I can do this,” she said after a while.

“Do what? See a counselor?” Alex was confused.

“Us.” 

The simple word made Alex suck in a breath. “What? Why?” Her arms came around to hug herself. “At least look at me when you say that.”

Vin turned, her grey eyes hard as steel. “People I love get hurt. They die. I shouldn't have let myself fall so deep. That wasn't fair to you.”

The fact that Vin just admitted she loved her went right over Alex's head. “Are you freaking serious? One bump and you're ready to walk away?” She threw up her hands in frustration. “What about what I want, Vin? Doesn’t that count?” 

Vin closed her eyes, unable to look at Alex, her heart fighting with her head. “I’m sorry. I can’t be what you need.” She was a monster. Like that man called her brother before he killed him. Even now, standing there, she felt the sharpness of her teeth against her tongue, the sting of her claws against the palm of her hands. She was close to shifting. Close to losing control. She wasn’t human, it was stupid of her to pretend to be.

Alex sucked in a breath. “So what, I don’t mean anything to you? I was what? A good fuck?”

When Vin looked at Alex again, her eyes had turned red. “I think you should go,” she growled out, her voice raw and low. 

“Maybe that’s for the best,” Alex answered. It was rather unnerving to see the change in Vin. But it wasn’t fear she felt, only confusion and pain. Shaking her head, Alex turned and walked out, slamming the door on the way. She didn’t hear Vin’s parting whisper.

“You mean everything.”

 

* * *

 

Alex made her way home, ignoring several speed limits on the way, and was getting more and more angry as she rewinded the events in her head. Vin didn’t even give them a chance. God, she was worse than Maggie. At least the detective had tried to make it work.

She barged into her apartment and went into her kitchen, opening a cabinet for a glass and a bottle of scotch and pouring herself a nice shot, downing it in one go. She refilled her glass but before she could lift it to her lips, a sob escaped her. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying to get herself together.

“Alex?” 

Alex closed her eyes when she felt her sister’s presence behind her. Kara closed the distance between them and hugged Alex from behind. Alex couldn’t fight sobs, nor the tears that spilled from her eyes as Kara held her. 

They were silent for a while, Kara waiting it out and letting her sister cry on her shoulder. “What happened?” she finally asked.

Alex sniffed and wiped at her eyes. “Vin just broke up with me. She was so sad. I tried to help her, to talk to her. But I think I just made it worse.”

Kara tucked a strand of Alex’s hair back behind her ear. “Vin’s in shock. Give her some time to cool down. Let her think. I’m sure she didn’t mean it.” 

“You think so?” 

Kara’s heart almost broke at the frailty of her sister’s voice. “I hope so. I really don’t feel like launching her into space.” She was relieved to see the hint of a smile on Alex’s lips. “Try and get some sleep. Talk to her tomorrow.” When Alex nodded, Kara stepped back. “Are you going to be ok? I can stay if you need me.”

“I’ll be fine.” Alex took a deep breath. “You’re right. I’ll call her tomorrow and we can talk it through.” She went into Kara’s embrace, “Thanks, Kar. Now come on, get going.” She stepped back. “Go back to Lena.”

“How did you know I’m going to Lena?”

Alex arched an eyebrow. “Cause you’re practically glowing.” She smirked and pushed Kara towards the window. “Go! And please … tell her how you feel. Before she hooks up with another James.” Kara gave her a last, stunned look before flying off.

Shaking her head, Alex put away her bottle of scotch and retreated to her living room. She didn’t need any more alcohol. She needed to have a clear head in the morning.

 

* * *

 

Vin sat stunned on her couch for a long time after Alex stormed off. “Fuck,” she cursed and buried her face in her hands. She was trying to convince herself that this was for the best. That Alex would only wind up getting hurt. But why did it feel so wrong?

Her phone rang and Vin hurried to pick it up, hoping it was Alex. “Hello!” Her face fell when it wasn’t Alex on the other end. “Jen? Slow down ... “ Her friend was frantic and Vin stood, feeling the fear run through her frame.

“What do you mean Ryan’s missing?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is angsty, hope you guys enjoy it!

The first thing Alex did when she woke up the next day was to check her phone. She was disappointed to see no new messages or calls. Pulling herself up from where she had fallen asleep on the couch, she grimaced at the foul taste in her mouth and an overall gritty feeling. So she dragged herself to the bathroom, shedding clothes on the way. She washed quickly, trying not to think about the adventures they’d had in this same shower not 24 hours ago. 

After brushing her teeth and putting on some fresh clothes, Alex felt human again. She took her phone and drew in a breath as she dialed Vin’s number. It rang a couple of times before switching to voice mail.

_ Hi there! This is Vin Vecsei. I am currently unavailable. Please leave a message after the beep … BEEP _

“Vin, it’s me. Can you please call me back? We really need to talk about yesterday.” Alex hesitated, not knowing how to finish the call. She ended just with a “bye” and disconnected. 

Shaking her head, Alex gathered her things and left to go to work. 

By mid-afternoon, and after calling twice more and leaving a couple of messages, Alex still hadn’t heard from Vin, and she was getting worried. She tried another tactic and looked up Vaan’s number.

“Hello?!” Vaan yelled into the phone to be heard over the noise of construction.

“Vaan, it’s Alex.”

“Oh, hey Alex. Gimme a sec.” Alex heard him move, the noise in the background fading. “What’s up?”

“I’m sorry to bother you, but have you seen Vin?”

“Vin?” Vaan sounded confused. “Not today, no. She spends all of her free time with you.” The laughter he normally had in his voice was absent. “She wasn’t home this morning so I just assumed she spent the night at your place.”

Alex ran a hand across her face. “We had a bit of a fall-out last night. I’ve been trying to get ahold of her all day.” 

“She hasn’t come into work either. That’s not like her.” Vaan said, his concern escalating. He thought his sister was with Alex and that she had lost track of time. He’d even planned to tease her about it later. “I’m going to go home. Maybe she turned up there.” 

“Director Danvers?” 

At Brainy’s call, Alex looked his way and held up her hand. “Vaan? I have to go. Please keep me posted if you hear something, ok?” She switched off her phone and headed to Brainy at the command center.

“Is everything alright, Director Danvers?” he asked carefully.

Alex gave him a grimace, “I hope so.” She took a breath. “What have you found?”

“I have deciphered another piece of the register that is in the hands of the Children of Liberty. 10 more names to add to our list.” 

“Good,” Alex nodded. They had relayed warnings to dozens of people already, through J’onn or Supergirl, hopefully keeping them safe until they could track down the source. “Anyone interesting?” 

Brainy turned to the screen and pressed the tips of his fingers together in front of his chin, enabling him to control the data with his mind. “Yes … Two members of a race we thought to be extinct. A brother and a sister.” 

Alex sucked in a breath when Brainy projected the mug shots on the screen. He continued talking without noticing her reaction. “They are called Viera. A moderately dangerous species that …” Alex turned and walked away, leaving Brainy staring at her back, bewildered at her behavior.

Alex hit her comms. “Kara? Vin and Vaan are on the list! Get to their apartment.” She then dialed Vaan’s number, while she ran through the corridors to the garage. “Vaan? Are you home yet? Ok, stay there! Supergirl is on her way. I’ll explain when I get there.” She hopped onto her motorcycle and sped away, one thought running through her mind. 

Where the hell was Vin?

 

* * *

 

The splitting headache was the first thing that registered as Vin drifted into consciousness. She let out a soft groan and tried to move her hands to wipe at her head and the sticky substance she felt there. Her eyes flew open when she realized her hands were bound, rather tight, behind her back. She panicked and fought the restraints, trying to break the metal strips around them.

“Vin?! Oh, thank the gods you're not dead!” A frantic voice called out. “Calm down. You can't break those chains. They're Nth metal. Not even Supergirl can break those.” 

The voice was familiar and Vin stopped struggling. She shook her head to try and clear it, but the movement worsened the pain and made her nauseous. She crawled up to her knees and looked around, squinting into the poorly lit room to try and find that familiar voice.

“You probably shouldn't move around too much. I think you might have a serious concussion.”

The voice finally started to make sense. “Ryan? Is that you?” Vin mumbled, frowning when her words slurred. As her vision started to clear, she recognized her friend sitting on the damp and dirty floor a couple of feet away, heavy chains around his hands and legs locking him in place. Several other men and women sat around them in the same predicament.

Ryan looked worried, very worried. “I was afraid you were dead. You were bleeding so badly when they brought you in. What happened?”

It took Vin a while to reply, mostly because her brain didn't want to cooperate. She tried to remember the events leading up to her being captured. There was the fight with Alex, that popped up first. “I got a call from Jen,” she started. “She was worried. You hadn't come home and weren't picking up your phone. I came looking for you.” She had gone to Ryan's shop and followed the route he would normally take to get home. She used her supreme sense of smell to track him, surprised when it led her off-route. That was the last thing she remembered. They must have snuck up on her somewhere.

“Is Jen ok? And the kids?” 

Vin tried to nod. They were fine last night anyway. She closed her eyes against a sudden bout of dizziness, but couldn't stop herself from falling sideways.

“Vin?! Stay with me!”

It was the last thing she heard before she succumbed to unconsciousness.

 

* * *

 

Vaan turned the key to his apartment door and pushed it open, making his way inside. “V? Sis, you here?” he called out, trying to keep his voice even. He didn’t understand what was going on. First his sister hadn’t shown up for work, and then Alex had called looking for her.

Not getting any reply, he made his way to the bedroom, pushing open his sister’s door, finding nothing amiss. He glanced into the bathroom, his own room, and made his way back. 

He stopped in the middle of the living room and took out his phone, dialing Vin’s number and grumbling when he reached voicemail again. “Where are you?” Something tapped on the window and he turned around, gasping when the red and blue suit caught his eye. When Alex told him Supergirl was on her way, he didn’t really believe her. But there she was. He walked over and opened the latch, opening the window and watching dumbstruck as the hero flew in and landed on the floor. “Supergirl?”

Kara struck her power pose, hands on her hips, and smiled at the man. “Hi. You must be Vaan.” 

Vaan gaped for a few moments, not knowing what to say to this powerful woman before him. A hard knock on his door saved him from embarrassment.

“It’s Alex,” Kara supplied, having scanned through the door. 

“Oh?” Vaan looked behind him and cleared his throat before calling out, “It’s open!” 

Throwing open the door, Alex barged in, gun in hand. She took a good look around and holstered it. “Lock that door, now!” 

Vaan had jumped back, his hands in the air, as he took in his sister’s girlfriend. The dark, kevlar suit, hair slicked back, a weapon that really didn’t look human made. He glanced between Alex and Supergirl. “Can someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?” He did move to the door and shut it, flicking the lock in place. Seeing Alex and Supergirl trading looks, he frowned and waited until Alex focused on him again. “You’re DEO aren’t you?” he asked and ran a hand across his face when she nodded. “Does Vin know that?” His sister’s relationship with the covert government organization was sketchy at best.

“It’s one of the reasons we had our disagreement last night,” Alex admitted sadly. “But that’s not important right now. First, we have to find her and keep both of you safe. Any idea where she could have gone?”

Vaan thought it over for a moment, “Vin doesn’t have many friends. Only ones I can think off are Jen and Ryan.” He held up his phone to silently ask if he could call. Getting a nod from Alex, he dialed Jen’s number. “Hey, Jen. It’s Vaan. Not to alarm you or anything, but have you seen Vin lately?” His eyes widened at what he heard. “Shit … ok … No, keep yourself and the kids hidden. It’ll be ok … we’ll find them. Yeah, I’ll keep in touch. Bye.” He turned off his phone, buried his hands in his hair and started pacing through the room. 

Alex followed his movements, so similar to how Vin acted last night. “Vaan. Stop! What did she tell you?” 

Kara reached out and took the young man by the shoulder, looking into his eyes. She had heard the full conversation through the phone. “We’ll find them, ok?” 

The calmness of her voice made Vaan blink and nod his head as he calmed down. “Jen called Vin last night. Her husband, Ryan, hadn’t come home and she was worried. Vin would go and look for him.” 

“Ryan?” Alex repeated to herself, mentally scanning the names of the registry. “There’s no Ryan mentioned on the list.” She looked at Kara, seeing if maybe she remembered something more. 

Vaan didn’t know what list they were talking about, but it seemed important. “Ryan isn’t his real name. It’s Ry’yn and Jen’s full name is Je’ora. They’re from Starhaven.”

Alex shook her head. “Those names aren’t on the list either, but we haven’t recovered everything yet. They could be on the missing part.”

“Or,” Kara mused. “They took Ryan to get to Vin.”

“Ok, enough. Who are we talking about?” Vaan was really getting worried now.

Alex turned to Kara, “Can you fly to Jen? See if she and her kids are somewhere safe. They live above their coffee shop.” When Kara nodded and flew off, Alex looked at Vaan. “Do you remember CADMUS?”

Vaan frowned for a moment. “You mean those crazy people who tried to forcibly deport a couple of hundred aliens into space?” He let out a breath and sat down on the couch, leaning his elbows on his knees. “Did they take my sister?”

The way Vaan’s voice trembled and his grey eyes started to water broke Alex’s resolve. She sat down next to him and laid an arm across his shoulders. “We’re not sure. But it’s possible. CADMUS stole a piece of the alien registry when they rounded up those aliens. We thought we had recovered it, but some parts were missing. Or duplicated, we’re not sure. You and your sister are on it.” Alex closed her eyes, fighting the self-blame from rearing its head. 

When Vaan started sniffing, Alex rested her head against his shoulder in silent comfort. They stayed that way for a while until Vaan took a deep breath. “Thanks, Alex,” he mumbled. “You know, I haven't met a lot of girls my sister dated, but you’re pretty cool. Even if you’re DEO.” 

Alex inhaled sharply, the hint of a grin at the corner of her mouth. “Thanks, I think.” Then her face fell. “But after our fight … I’m not so sure Vin still wants me in her life.” 

“Are you kidding? Look, I don’t know exactly what happened between you two, but I know I’ve never seen my sister as happy as she has been the last few months. She told you about Varrik?” 

Alex nodded. “I’m sorry about what happened with him. J’onn … Well, you probably know him as Hank Henshaw, is very sorry too. He couldn’t do more for you guys then. But the DEO is a different organization now. We protect this world, for humans and aliens alike.” Well, at least Alex still hoped so. How things stood now with the new president and with Hayley was a waiting game. 

“I was still a kid when Varrik died, but it hit Vin hard. She felt like she’d failed him. I think she still does. I’ve never known her to have a real relationship before. Sure, there were girls she dated on and off for a couple months, but Vin always kept her distance. And she certainly never told anyone about our brother.” Vaan turned his big grey eyes on Alex. “Please don’t give up on my sister. She always portrays herself as confident and strong, but she also has fears and vulnerabilities.” He paused. “She still carries the scars from Vana’diel. Memories from a childhood during wartime. Did you know she’s afraid of the thunder?” He waited to see Alex shake her head. “She once said it reminds her of the guns used at our father’s execution. That’s another example of how she always kept me safe. She covered my eyes when it happened.” He blew out a breath at the memory, the sound of the guns and the thud of a body hitting the ground, but at least he, unlike his sister, didn’t have a visual image to go with that.

“We’ll find her. I promise,” Alex said after swallowing around a lump in her throat. 

Vaan sucked in a breath and blinked away another round of tears. He believed Alex, somehow. He had to.

Alex let them have a moment of peace. Then she moved away and stood. “I want you to pack a bag. Can you find somewhere else to stay for a couple of days?”

“I can crash at a friend’s house. But I want to help find my sister.”

“You need to be safe. I can’t focus on finding Vin if I’m worried about you.” Alex offered, “But I’ll keep you posted.”

Blowing out a breath, Vaan nodded and got to his feet. “Gimme a sec.” He went to his room to pack.

Alex walked to the window, staring at the city below while she waited. She would make sure Vaan was safe. That was what Vin would want. “Then I’m coming for you,” she murmured, vowing to herself that she wouldn’t rest until Vin was safe.

 

* * *

 

The next time Vin came to, it was because someone was poking her in the ribs. 

“Leave her alone!” she heard Ryan protest. Then she heard a zap and a scream was ripped from his throat. 

The boot made contact with her ribs again and Vin pushed herself back as much as she could to avoid it. She opened her eyes and blinked to clear her vision. She was still on the ground, hands chained behind her back, feet locked in place against the floor. In front of her stood a man she’d never seen before. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with short dark hair that curled at the top. Vin inhaled sharply and took in his scent. He smelled human, vaguely familiar, but with a strong metallic undertone Vin didn’t understand. 

“Nice of you to join us,” the man said with a sneer. 

Vin used her elbows to push herself onto her knees, fully intending to get up and into his face. She felt the world spin around her at the slight movement and decided her knees were as far as she would get. “Who the fuck are you?” 

The man just gave her a sinister smile and held up a magazine—Vin frowned when she recognized the latest edition of CatCo—and started reading.

“Coming to this world as a refugee, Vin and her brother try to give back as much to the community as it had given them ...” He read in a mocking tone, making the men spread around the room snigger. 

The man closed the magazine and looked down at his captive. “You came to this world, taking advantage of our hospitality. Earth is not your home. It never will be. Earth is for the humans.” While he spoke, he rolled up the magazine and used it as a club to hit Vin on the side of her chin. She grunted and fell down to the floor. “You are a monster. Vermin. And it’s time you get exterminated. Like that little brother of yours was.” 

Growling, Vin crawled back to her knees and spat out some blood. “How do you know about my brother?” 

The man crouched down, bringing his eyes to the same level as Vin’s. They looked familiar, Vin thought. Just like his scent. “I know everything.” 

“Danvers!” The low and growling voice calling out from the doorway was hardly human, nor was the menacing figure it belonged to. One red eye shone through the dark room from inside a half-cybernetic face. 

“Danvers?” Vin questioned out loud.

The man chuckled and stood. He looked at the cyborg. “It’s showtime.” He held up his hand and the other men in black started to grab several of the aliens, unlocking them from the floor and dragging them out of the room. “This one too,” he said and pointed at Vin.

Vin struggled and tried to fight them as two men roughly grabbed her by the arms, but she was too weak. She heard Ryan call out her name and she sent a quiet prayer that her friend would remain safe. 

 

* * *

 

“So tell me what we've got,” Alex said, trying to keep her voice even as she made her way up to Brainy at the command desk. She had to be Director Danvers now. There was no room for error. 

Brainy turned to her. “Supergirl followed the route your … friend … was supposed to take last night.” He wasn't quite sure how to formulate the information. Alex was his friend but he hadn't met Vin yet and thus didn't have a chance to study their interactions. So he decided to relay only facts. “It allowed me to pick up her cellphone signal in an alley nearby. Supergirl recovered the device.” He pulled up a map on the screen, marking where Vin's phone was found. “There were signs of a struggle …” He trailed off, not knowing if he should mention the blood and the drag marks.

“Run through all security footage from the area. See if anything pops up.” Alex had just finished speaking when all the monitors in the room faded to black. She frowned, watching as Brainy frantically tapped his tablet. 

“Director Danvers? Agent Dox?” Colonel Haley approached them, but before either of them could answer, the monitors flashed and a familiar, computer-generated face appeared.

“Citizens of National City. People of Earth,” the robotic voice droned. “For too long we have stood by and watched the alien menace get comfortable on our world. They have ingrained themselves into our society, lulling us to sleep with a false sense of security. It is time to put a stop to it.” 

Alex swallowed, watching in trepidation as the screen changed. It showed several people dressed in black combat gear with masks over their faces standing in a dimly lit room. Between them sat people, aliens of various origins, on their knees, heavy chains keeping them in place. The camera panned across them as the robotic voice resumed talking. 

“Most of them appear human, allowing them to lie and deceive. To live amongst us. To prey on us. But deep down they are monsters, waiting to strike.” One of the men in black reached down and pulled at an image inducer, throwing it on the ground and crushing it with his boot. The image of the alien shimmered before revealing the green-skinned Maaldorian underneath it.

“Technology,” the voice continued, “can be destroyed. But some don't even need that.” The camera continued until it stopped at a hunched figure wearing a dirty and torn sleeveless shirt. The tattoos a dead giveaway to her identity.

Alex sucked in a breath and took a step back in shock. Vin looked up into the camera with bloodshot eyes. Her hair was matted with blood, as was her shirt and most of her shoulder. 

One man stepped forward and stabbed Vin with a cattle prod. She let out a scream at the shock and breathed deep and hard. The man shocked her again, longer this time, and Alex could hear Vin growl and saw how she tensed all her muscles. Before the man could lower the prod again, Vin reacted. Her eyes turned red, her brow grew more pronounced and she got to her feet, growling and snapping at her captors with long canines. 

Immediately, several men got closer and zapped her, overwhelming Vin until she shifted back into a quivering mess on the floor.

“Do you want these monsters in disguise around your family? Near your children? We say no!” The screen faded and showed the robotic face again. “Turn them in. Every roach you’ve seen in your environment. Hunt them down and hand them over to be exterminated. We are Children of Liberty. We are CADMUS.” The screen faded to black.

Everyone was shocked into silence for a long moment. Then Alex quickly turned and ran away, towards her lab, leaving Brainy to watch her go, worried for his friend. 

Alex buried her hands in her hair and started pacing, taking deep breaths to get air into her lungs. 

“Director Danvers?” Hayley walked into the lab, one eyebrow lifted. “Care to fill me in?”

Alex stopped dead in her tracks, realizing it was time to come clean about everything. “One of those aliens … is my girlfriend.”

Whatever Hayley was expecting, that wasn't it. “I … see …” she said hesitantly before falling silent for a moment. “Which one?” she finally said.

“The one with the tattoos.” Alex wrapped her arms around herself, her voice small and breakable. She took a deep breath to try and get herself together. The last thing she wanted was to break down in front of her boss.

“She looked … strong.”

Alex nodded. “She is.” 

The two looked at one another in uncomfortable silence. They never really saw eye-to-eye on all things alien. Then Hayley straightened up. “Take all the DEO resources you need to hunt them down. I know you’ve been working with J’onn J’onzz and Supergirl on this. Stop trying to hide it. It’ll be more efficient.”

“But the president …” Alex trailed off, knowing there was no way Baker would approve of this.

Hayley huffed. “Let me handle the president. The Children of Liberty might not be a priority, but CADMUS is.” She nodded at Alex and turned to walk out of the room. “Get to it, Director Danvers.” 

“Yes Ma’am,” Alex mumbled as she watched the woman leave, a new form of respect growing in her chest for her boss. 

Her phone rang and she looked up at the screen, seeing it was Vaan. “Yes, Vaan? I saw it … I know … She’s strong and we will find her. I promise.” 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some angst and action (finally)  
> I've got a full layout ready for this story too (also finally) so I now know it will be roughly 9, maybe 10 chapters. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

“Hey, Ry?” Vin called out weakly through the basement. She laid on the floor, upper body propped up against a stone pillar, hands chained in front of her this time. It was an improvement, at least. She cleared her throat, or tried to as it had been god knows how many hours since they were last given some water.

Ryan looked up from a few feet away, his movement making the chains around his hands and feet rattle. “I’m here, V.” His reply sounded just as weak, but at least he didn't get beaten up and shocked by their sadistic captors. 

Vin grinned at the sound, relieved to hear her friend close by. She let her head fall back against the rough stone and didn't open her eyes. There was nothing worth seeing anyway and the extra light only hurt her head. “Promise me one thing, will you? When you get out of here, tell Alex I'm sorry.”

“No, I won't! We're both getting out of here. All of us!” Ryan’s voice broke with desperation. Behind him, a young woman started crying again. She had been crying ever since she was brought in. Ryan didn’t blame her, he felt like doing the same thing. Only the thought of Jen and his kids kept him going.

Vin let out a chuckle that sounded more like a croak and grimaced at the flash of pain the movement caused. Her head was getting worse. It was a constant struggle to stay awake, and only the knowledge that if she let herself fall asleep she probably wouldn't wake up again gave her enough strength to keep fighting it. “Please, Ry. Promise me. Alex and I … I said some things I wish I hadn't. And … I think I really love her.” Vin felt the tears slide down her cheek. 

Ryan closed his eyes sadly and shook his head. “ _ If _ and only  _ if _ … something happens to you, I promise I'll tell her.” He took a deep breath and opened his eyes again, looking around the room. There were about twenty captives that he could see, all sitting or lying curled up into miserable heaps on the cold concrete floor. There has to be something they could do. Most of them came to Earth from other worlds. Some escaped war or, like him, disease and decay. They were not helpless.

His eye fell on the big dark man to his right and the purple ridges on his cheeks, pretty sure the man belonged to a race of psychics. “What if we can get a message out?” he wondered out loud. Contacting someone on the outside could be a game-changer. 

As the start of a plan began to form in his mind, he sat up and called out to Vin, frowning when she didn’t respond the first couple of times he called her name. “Come on, V. Look at me!” 

Vin blew out a breath and finally turned her head, squinting at Ryan in the semi-darkness. 

“This J’onn guy you talked about earlier. The one that ran the DEO? He’s a Martian?” Ryan saw Vin frown and give a slow nod. “They’re strong psychics.” Looking around, he raised his voice. “Are there other psychics here?” A couple of people looked up, including the big man next to him. Ryan posed his next question to him. “Do you think you can send him a message? All of you working together should enhance the psychic projection.”

The man raised his head more fully and the ghost of a smile started to form around his dry lips at this tiny spark of hope. “Perhaps … If he’s open to receiving it.” And other psychics from the outside might pick up on it, too, joining in on their projection. It should reach the Martian one way or the other.

“What good would that do? We don't know where we are,” Vin added in a weak voice. 

Ryan turned to her. “That's where you come in, Vin. What can you tell us about our environment?”

It took Vin's tired brain a few seconds to understand what he meant. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, and for a moment Ryan thought she had fallen unconscious. Then Vin breathed in deeply through her nose, trying hard to concentrate on the different smells. It wasn’t easy to break through the overwhelming scent of unwashed bodies and other, unspeakable, odors hanging around the basement. “Water,” she finally said. “There's water around us … and birds … seagulls.”

“Ok, good. That means we're somewhere around the docks,” Ryan said. That still left a large area. “Anything else?”

“There's something strange ... Metallic,” Vin's voice started to break.

“Come on, V. Focus!” Ryan yelled a little harsh, hoping the shock would keep her awake. 

Vin opened her eyes. “Sulfur and dioxide. Chrome and gasoline. The old motorcycle factory.”

The man next to Ryan nodded. “All psychics and empaths, focus on me.” He sat on his knees, folded his hands into prayer and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. 

Ryan saw several other aliens do the same and send a quick prayer to the gods that the Martian was listening. He glanced back at Vin, who had slumped down against the pillar, unconscious again. He closed his eyes and prayed to any god he could think of that this plan would work. Time was running out for them all.

 

* * *

 

“We’ve got nothing.” Kara didn't want to admit it, but it was true. She looked down at the map spread out on the table and hung her head. “I flew by every location CADMUS had been in in the past, but they're smarter than that.” She knew it was a futile attempt, yet she had to try. She was a woman of action and all this sitting still was frustrating. She looked to Brainy at the other side of the table, hoping he had something new to add.

“I am trying to use the video feed to pinpoint their location. But it is heavily encrypted. I have calibrated the nanites Miss Luthor loaned me to speed up the process, but I can not ask more of them. They are still just nanites.” Brainy shook his head. “I have estimated it would take another 194 hours to get more information.” 

“They will have moved to another location by then,” J'onn added, his deep voice trembling with fear, knowing that those taken by CADMUS most likely wouldn’t live that long. He looked at the data spread out on the table, glad that Hayley had allowed them to take over the DEO's conference room. He glanced up at Brainy. “Join up with Lena and keep working on it. It's still the best lead we've got.” Brainy dipped his head and left the room. J'onn turned to Kara, “How's Alex holding up?”

Kara shrugged. “You know Alex. She says she's fine, but I can see right through the act. This is hurting her. Bad.” J'onn held open his arms and she stepped into them willingly, resting her head against his shoulder. “It’s moments like these that I wonder if what I’m doing is wrong. I've been soft on the Children of Liberty, hoping - no, believing - they would eventually see that what they’re doing is wrong. Now they’ve allied themselves with CADMUS. And dozens, maybe hundreds of aliens might die. And I can't help but feel like it's my fault.”

J’onn moved back to look Kara in the eye. “Nothing that has happened here is your fault. You are honorable and compassionate. And that is something this world truly needs. A true hero.” He took a breath, about to say more, when he faltered. He stepped back and squinted, bringing up a hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose, trying to catch the fleeting images on his mind. 

“J’onn?” Kara asked. She saw his eyes flash and wondered what it was that the Martian was seeing.

Gasping, J’onn looked up at Kara and the red in his eyes disappeared. “Get Alex. I know where they are.”

 

* * *

 

Colonel Hayley looked down at the command center, studying Alex from her spot on the balcony, trying to determine whether she was up for the job. The director looked focused if one ignored the exhaustion clearly written on her face. Hayley couldn’t blame her. She would probably act the same if someone she loved was in the same situation. Alex was talking animatedly, agent Dox at her side to project the needed information on the large screens. Three strike teams, in full combat gear, listened silently, taking in the given intel. It was the most men Hayley could get away with diverting without Baker’s approval. 

Hayley kept a neutral expression, even if she admired the way Director Danvers took control, the trust and loyalty she got from the men. 

Alex glanced up at her when she finished the briefing, an unspoken request in her eyes.  _ Let me lead this operation. _

A curt nod was all that was needed and Hayley saw the relief in Alex’s eyes. The director gave a few more commands and the agents accepted their orders with sharp nods and marched off, hurrying to their appointed vehicles. Alex wasted no time and followed. 

Exhaling deeply, Hayley rested her hands on the railing. She expected the call from the president any time now, and for the first time in her life she didn’t have a clue how to talk herself out of this one. She knew she had done the right thing, backing Alex and the DEO. But Baker wouldn't see it that way. He would see direct disobedience, possibly treason. It would be the end of her career. 

Yet, maybe, she didn’t need to go down alone.

“Agent Dox?” Hayley called out to the man waiting by the consoles below and waited for Brainy to look up. “I need you to do me a favor …”

 

* * *

 

Alex watched both Supergirl and the Martian Manhunter take to the sky. They would circle from above and intervene when they were needed. There was always a chance Cyborg Superman would make an appearance. Two strike teams joined her for the raid.

“Agents on me,” Alex commanded in a strong voice and waited a moment to make sure everyone was ready. Her eyes found her second in command, Vasquez, who gave a short nod. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door to the factory and led her men inside. 

The first floor of the building was empty, proof that they didn’t know they were coming. Brainy had downloaded the factory’s floor plan, so finding their way was easy, and Alex led the way down the stairs into the basement. She kicked in the door.

It took only a few seconds for Alex to take in the scene. The prisoners were on the ground, chained against the wall or to the floor. Several men walked between them, all carrying rifles at the ready. They were startled by the sudden invasion of DEO agents and by the time they had raised their guns, Alex and her team had spread out and opened fire. It only took a few seconds for the DEO to get the upper hand.

Alex took aim and discharged her energy gun at the last man standing, knocking him unconscious. She stepped further into the room, her gun still at the ready. “Detain them and check for keys!” she commanded as she saw the locks holding the prisoners. A woman sat on the floor close by, huddled into a ball and looked up at Alex with frightened eyes. “It’s ok, we’re here to help,” Alex said in a soft voice, giving the woman a small smile. She slowly reached out a hand and touched the woman’s shoulder, smiling again when the woman didn’t flinch. 

“Director. I got keys!” Vasquez called out and jingled the old fashioned keys in the air. She immediately started unlocking the prisoners. 

Trusting her agents to have it covered, Alex stood and looked around, searching. As she took several steps forward, her eyes fell on the figure half hidden behind a pillar. She sucked in a breath, and it took a second to get her feet moving again. She ran the last yards, almost tripping over a man sitting on the floor. Alex stumbled to her girlfriend and dropped to her knees in front of the still figure. She brought up a hand and cradled Vin’s cheek, “Vin?” she mumbled, hoping for a reaction. The fingers of her other hand searched for a pulse and she let out a breath when she found one, even if it was faint. “Vin? Please.” 

Vin inhaled through her nose and her eyelids trembled for a moment before she managed to open her eyes. “A-Alex?” Her voice was so soft and broken, it was barely audible.

“Hey …” Alex got out. 

Vin blinked and tried to look at the figure before her. “Are you … real?” Her mind had been playing tricks on her for a while now. 

Alex noticed how one of Vin’s eyes was more dilated than the other and had a hard time focusing on her. “Yeah. I’m here. I’m real.” She glanced back, glad to see her agents busy leading people out to safety.

Vasquez knelt next to Alex, unlocking the padlocks on the shackles around Vin’s legs. Alex gave her a nod of thanks and the woman dipped her head before moving on to the next prisoner. 

“Vin!” Ryan threw himself at his friend the moment he was free, ignoring Alex’s pointed gaze. “You must be Alex.” It wasn’t a question, as he already knew what the answer would be. 

“We have to get her out of here,” Alex got to her feet and grabbed Vin’s arm, slinging it over her shoulder. Ryan copied her movement and the two of them heaved Vin to her feet. They were the last people in the basement and went to follow the others out.

“Leaving so soon?”

The mocking voice made Alex stop dead in her tracks. She didn’t need to turn around to know who it belonged to. Out of reflex, she used her free hand to draw her gun. 

Vin shook her head to try and clear it, having recognized the voice of one of her sadistic captors and tried to find her footing. She knew she would slow Alex down in a fight, so she shifted her weight and felt Ryan’s strong grip at her waist to help her stand. Reluctantly, she pulled away from Alex, letting the agent put both hands at her weapon and turn around.  

“D-Dad?” Alex said in a soft, uncertain voice and raised her gun.

“Hello, Alex,” Jeremiah said. He looked to be unarmed, his hands hanging loosely at his sides. His dark eyes stared into those of his daughter.

Alex took a shaking breath. “What are you doing here? Why are you helping them?” There had to be a logical explanation. The last time they met, her father had helped her fight CADMUS.

Jeremiah shrugged. “We do this for the sake of our planet. For Earth. For the human race.” 

“For Earth? What are you talking about? These aliens … They live here, they belong here!” Alex could hear the desperation in her own voice, not understanding why he sounded so cold and callous. 

Jeremiah took a step closer and Alex instinctively took a step back, putting herself between him and the other two, the gun in her hand trembling. “I did this for you! Can’t you see it? How they’ve infected your mind.” He kept moving closer. “See? You won’t shoot me. You know I’m telling the truth.” He held out a hand. “Join me, Alex. Let’s save the world. Together!” 

Vin couldn’t tear her eyes away from Alex, her heart breaking at the pain she could see on her girlfriend’s face. To her horror, she saw Alex lower her gun. “Alex?” 

The opening made Jeremiah grin and he moved forward, faster than any human ever could. He pushed Alex backward, throwing her to the floor, and rushed Vin. Ryan stepped forward to intervene, but the man was thrown against the wall. He slid down motionless. Jeremiah grabbed Vin by the throat and lifted her up, the tall woman gasping and struggling to breathe as she clawed at his fingers.

“No! Alex called out while using her magnetized gloves to retrieve her gun. “What about Kara? Is she the enemy too?” Her father loved Kara like she was his own flesh and blood. He risked everything to keep her safe. 

Jeremiah looked confused. “Who’s Kara?”

“Your other daughter? The 13-year-old alien girl you took in?” Alex pointed her gun at him again. Did her father not remember her sister? What was going on? She looked from him to Vin, struggling in his grasp and back to Jeremiah, seeing the confusion in his eyes.

Vin could feel the grip around her throat loosen when Jeremiah’s attention was on Alex. She brought up a knee, smashing it into the man’s stomach. It didn’t have the normal effect as it would have had on a human, but it was enough to make him flinch. Vin managed to pull herself out of the hold around her throat and followed up with a punch to his face. Jeremiah’s head snapped back, but the clang of metal was unmistakable. When the man looked back at them, Vin gasped at the bright red eye staring back at her from the cybernetic eye-socket. 

“Fine! I will make you listen to me. CADMUS … They’ll make you listen to reason,” Jeremiah said to his daughter, sounding equally desperate and mad. He turned to Alex and stepped forward, his body language turning aggressive.

Vin growled, seeing the threat to Alex and threw herself into the cyborg, using her weight and mass to try and push him off his feet. Jeremiah stumbled but regained his balance fast. He balled his fist and planted it in Vin’s stomach. She grunted when the air was forced from her lungs and felt the strong grip at the back of her shirt. Then she was thrown through the air, landing by Alex’s feet, head hitting the ground. The last thing she heard before she blacked out was Alex screaming her name, followed by the sound of her gun discharging.

The first blue energy shot hit Jeremiah in the chest and pushed him back. He turned to Alex, a look of disbelief in his remaining human eye. Alex shot him again, hitting him in the shoulder. Tears started to cloud her vision as she shot several more times, until Jeremiah sunk to his knees.

“Alex?” He pleaded one last time, the red light in his eye flickering and fading. Then he fell backward, still.

Alex stood frozen for a few seconds, complete and utterly in shock. Her gun dropped to the ground from between numb fingers and she fell to her knees. She crawled over to Vin and frantically started searching for life signs. “Please,” she murmured, cursing her shaking fingers and the tears clouding her vision. 

Kara appeared next to her and covered Alex’s hands with her own. “I hear a heartbeat, Alex. She’s alive.” Several agents and medical personnel rushed in and Kara pulled Alex up and out of the way to give them room to work. She wrapped her cape around Alex to try and shield her as she cried into Kara’s shoulder. 

Closing her eyes in relief, Kara leaned her head next to her sister and cried with her. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “We tried to get here sooner, but Henshaw got in the way. J’onn took care of him.” She glanced at the body lying on the ground and shuddered at the empty look in Jeremiah’s remaining human eye. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had finished this chapter weeks ago but wasn't happy with it, so I decided to rewrite it (and again) until I'm finally satisfied (I'm pretty hard on myself that way) So I apologize for the long wait! Thanks for bearing with me.
> 
> Kudos and/or comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks for those!
> 
> And yes, I re-added the 'past Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer' tag. I feel it is important for the story. Please stop B*tching about it and read the tags. 
> 
> Enjoy!

It almost felt like a dream. The outside around her was blurry. Every sound was dampened ever since she sat down in that chair. The hospital was in a state of emergency. Doctors and nurses ran through the halls, the squeaking of sneakers and gurneys on the linoleum floor accompanied the yelling of vital signs and corresponding orders. No one paid attention to the lone woman in the waiting room.

Alex knew she was in shock. She knew the signs. It was textbook, really. And she'd been there before. PTSD, Acute Stress Disorder … she lived through it all. It was kinda hard to avoid living the life she does. 

When she was made director, there was hope her life would calm down somewhat. It would create the space she needed to build a family. Adopt a child. With or without a partner. Crossing paths with Vin seemed like perfect timing. But now her demons had caught up with her again. Vin was hurt. Vin could die. And, yes, some part of her knew it wasn't entirely her fault. That Vin was taken just because she's an alien. But it was still CADMUS who took her, her father who tortured her.

J'onn entered the room and took a deep breath when he saw Alex. She sat hunched over, elbows on her knees, eyes glued to the floor. He knew she would blame herself. His surrogate daughter had a tendency to take the weight of the world upon her own shoulders. Quietly, he sat down on Alex's right, leaning his head against the wall and closing his eyes. He could feel the waves of anxiety coming from the other woman but knew her long enough to know not to push. Alex would talk when she was ready.

After nearly ten minutes, Alex turned her head and gave J'onn a small nod in thanks. He answered it with a smile, sensing Alex had calmed down for now. "How are things outside?" she asked. 

"Your sister just checked in. She’s wrapping up the last CADMUS stragglers and will be coming by after. Word had gotten out about the rescue and more and more people are arriving. But we're handling it. Vasquez is in charge of security. She's keeping everyone out until we can verify their identities." J'onn had no doubt the agent could handle the job. “How’s Vin?” 

Alex shook her head sadly. “I don’t know. They’re still working on her.” She blew out a breath in frustration. “I wish we could take her to the DEO. At least there I could do something to help.”

“This case is too public,” J’onn said. “We’d risk compromising our whole organization. But Hamilton’s here to help as an FBI expert on alien physique. They know what they’re doing.” He saw Alex nod and her eyes returned to stare at the floor. J’onn allowed a few moments of silence and then started to speak again, knowing there was something important Alex should know. “Jeremiah is still alive.” 

Alex turned her eyes on him, wide with shock and shook her head. “That’s impossible. I shot him … several times. He’s dead.”

“No, Alex. The cyborg in him survived and was programmed with some sort of auto-repair. By the time we got him to the DEO, he was awake and lucid,” J’onn said. “Brainy’s working on it.” 

“How much of my father is left in him?” Alex remembered how strangely he had reacted when she mentioned Kara. 

J’onn grimaced. “That I do not know. We’re keeping him restrained. He’ll be moved to the desert facility once Brainy has gathered all the data he needs.” It pained him to see the man like that, a prisoner. Jeremiah saved his life once. He was a good man. J’onn only hoped that man was still buried underneath the cyborg somewhere. “We’ve got it covered. You need to focus on Vin now.” He placed a comforting hand on Alex’s arm, which she covered with her own. 

“Thank you, J’onn.” Alex gave him a soft smile. “Can you do me a favor though? Can you find Vaan and bring him here? My phone is dead, so I haven’t been able to reach him.” 

Pushing himself out of the chair, J’onn nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. Then I’ll go and help Vasquez organize the chaos out there.” He gave Alex one last look before phasing out of the room. 

Alex sighed and sat back, resting her eyes for a few moments. Her father was alive and in custody of the DEO. But dealing with him would have to wait until later. There were more important things to take care of now.

 

* * *

 

J’onn reappeared on the parking lot of the hospital. He ignored the shouting all around him and focused on the forming crowd. People were getting frantic, wanting to know if their friends or family were safe. He spotted a team of DEO agents at the front, Vasquez in the lead, calming people down, taking notes and descriptions to match with the rescued aliens. Hopefully, the matter would be resolved in the next couple of hours. 

He focused harder, his eyes scanning the mass until they landed on a tall man with dark messy hair and an unkempt beard. He had never seen Vaan before, but he couldn’t miss the silent cries for his sister. With sure steps, he weaved through the crowd until he reached him and touched his shoulder. “Vaan Vecsei?” 

Vaan turned around, his eyes red-rimmed and frowned at J’onn. “Yeah?”

“Alex sent me. Please come with me.” J’onn needed to get Vaan away from the crowd so they could phase safely. 

Still frowning, Vaan hesitated for a moment but followed J’onn anyway. If Alex trusted this man, he could at least see what this was about. “Do you have news of my sister?” he asked, his voice trembling. “Please … Do you know anything?”

When they reached the parking lot, J’onn turned. “She’s alive. I’ll take you there.” He saw some of the tension drain from the tall man in his relief, his eyes tearing up, and J’onn laid a hand on his shoulder. “This might feel a bit strange,” he warned as he phased them both away.

Alex saw the red shimmer in the corner of her eye and looked up just in time to see J’onn appear, his arm around a disheveled looking Vaan. She pushed herself out of her chair and opened her arms just in time for the tall man to fall into them. She held him tightly as he sobbed into her shoulder and looked at J’onn, silently thanking him. J’onn nodded once and phased out. 

Vaan took a deep breath and pulled away, wiping at his cheeks. “Sorry about that,” he mumbled.

Shaking her head, Alex took a good look at the younger man, taking in the unshaven face and the bags under his eyes. “It’s ok. When was the last time you’ve gotten some sleep? Or some food?” 

“I haven’t really slept since they showed that video,” Vaan released a shaky breath. “I can’t get those screams out of my head. I can imagine what it took to get Vin unleashed.” He grimaced. He honestly didn’t even know Vin could do that, not to that extent. “That man … he said Vin was alive.” 

“She is. But she’s hurt. They’re still working on her.” Alex glanced at the clock on the wall, realizing that they had been working on her for over 40 minutes now. 

A knock sounded against the doorway and Dr. Hamilton shuffled into the room. “Director Danvers?” 

“Amelia?” Alex felt her heartbeat spike, fearing the worst. She grabbed Vaan’s arm in a bruising grip, the man not noticing it in his own agony. 

Amelia motioned her head for them to follow and turned, taking them to a room a couple of doors down. Alex took a deep breath when she followed the doctor inside and felt the air rush out of her lungs at the sight of her girlfriend. 

If Vin’s injuries looked bad in the dusky basement, they looked much worse under the harsh lights of the hospital room. Almost the entire right side of Vin’s face was bandaged but they didn’t completely cover the dark bruises. Alex bit the inside of her cheek as she went closer to the bed, carefully taking Vin’s hand in her own. Her arms were laying on top of the sheets and showed several cuts and bruises, all in different states of healing. 

Amelia checked the monitors and took some notes on her clipboard. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it, Director Danvers. It’s bad. The injuries to the body, mostly cuts and bruises are superficial, but she suffered some serious injuries to the head, causing severe swelling to the brain. And this lasted for several days. If she was human, she’d be dead. No doubt about it.” She looked between Alex and the man standing behind her, immediately noticing the resemblance to her patient. “But she’s not human. Her skull is thicker and heavier. Her brain has more room to expand, which is why she’s still here. Brain activity is low, but that could be part of her physiology. I’ve never encountered her species before.”

Alex closed her eyes, grabbing on to the shimmer of hope. “Do you think she’ll make it?” 

“I have no way of knowing for sure. If her brain activity increases and she wakes up then she should make a full recovery. If it doesn’t …” Amelia didn’t need to complete that last sentence. “Now … I’ll leave you to it. I have more patients waiting.” As she passed Alex, she uncharacteristically placed a hand on her arm in support. “Call me if you need anything.” 

Alex nodded, understanding that this was her friend Amelia offering, not Dr. Hamilton. Vaan took the doctor’s place when she left. “My sister’s too stubborn to die,” he said with conviction.

Her eyes not leaving Vin’s face, Alex took a breath. “I sure hope so.” 

 

* * *

 

Waking up in a hospital wasn't something Vin had a lot of experience with. The only time she had even been in one was when Vaan had twisted his ankle during baseball training when he was fourteen. It smelled like she remembered, the overwhelming scent of disinfectant that couldn't quite mask the stench of vomit, blood, and urine. How people could stand to work here she would never understand. 

Alex heard the soft groan and made her way over to the bed. “Vin?” she called out softly and reached out to hold her hand. Vin's eyes opened to slits and she closed them again while wincing at the harsh light. Alex immediately dimmed them with a switch by Vin's bed. “The lights are down.” 

“Gods … my head hurts,” Vin mumbled, her voice scratchy and raw. She tried to open her eyes again and saw Alex by her bed, holding a cup with a straw. She gave a small nod and gratefully accepted a couple of sips, the cool water soothing her sore throat.

“I’m going to fetch the doctor,” Alex said as she placed the cup down on the table. She was stopped by a surprisingly strong grip on her arm. 

“D-Don’t,” Vin mumbled weakly and cleared her throat. “Please … don’t leave.” 

Alex covered the hand on her arm with one of her own. “I won’t. I promise.” She reached over and hit the call button instead, and a nurse peeked her head inside a couple of seconds later. “She just woke up,” Alex informed her. The nurse came into the room and took a quick reading of the monitors. 

“Looking good,” the nurse said and smiled down at Vin, who frowned in confusion. The nurse took out a penlight and aimed it into each of Vin’s eyes. “Good. The pupil dilation of the right eye had decreased significantly. Can you try and follow my finger?” She held up one finger and passed it in front of Vin’s face, noting that both pupils responded well. “Can you tell me your name, what year it is and who is our president?”

“Uhm … Vin Vecsei. 2019 and Baker, unfortunately.” 

That last comment made the nurse grin. She looked up at Alex. “Things are looking great. I’ll let the doctor know.” With that, she walked out of the room.

Alex squeezed Vin’s hand. “Your brother just stepped out to get something to eat. He’s been here ever since they brought you in.”

“How long?”

“Three days.”

Vin's eyes widened. “Three days? Wow … I laid in bed for three days?”

Alex gave a small grin. “It's a little more complicated than that. There was swelling in your brain. A lot of swelling. That needed time to heal.”

Vin noticed the look in Alex's eyes. “You're not telling me everything.” It was a statement, not a question.

Alex stepped back and wound her fingers around the railings of the bed, needing something to hold on to. 

“Is it Ryan?” Vin asked with a tremble in her voice as she suddenly remembered her friend smacking against the wall. 

“Ryan's fine. Broke his wrist but should make a full recovery. He was discharged yesterday.” Alex took a deep breath. “You were seriously injured. Critical. The doctors didn't think you'd make it. I just … I guess it just hits me … harder than I'd like to admit.” Her voice was a mere whisper at the end and she hung her head.

Vin swallowed as it started to sink in how close she had come to dying. “Alex?” she waited until dark watery eyes found hers. “I’m here. I'm ok.” She felt the trauma of her captivity claw at her mind but decided to push it down for now. Alex needed her.

Alex nodded and sniffed, wiping at the fallen tear on her cheek. Vin held out her hand and Alex moved closer, taking it and sitting down in a chair by the bed. 

“Thanks for the rescue,” Vin mentioned casually, giving Alex's hand a squeeze.

“Any time,” Alex chuckled. “Though, I’d rather not have to do that again.” 

Vin looked at Alex for a long moment, letting herself get lost in those eyes. Then she remembered something else. “That man … Was he really your father?”

Alex sat back and blinked, letting out a sad and shaky breath. “What was left of him … yes.” 

“Is he …” 

Shaking her head, Alex stopped Vin from finishing that question. “No … I thought he was. I thought I killed him. But as a cyborg, he’s nearly indestructible. He’s being held in a secure desert facility.” She hadn’t seen him yet, not sure if she was ready to face him. Not sure if she’d ever be ready.

Vin squeezed Alex’s hand again, showing her support. She felt her eyelids droop and Alex smiled down at her. 

“Go to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Vin’s lips curled into a loopy smile and she looked at Alex through drooping eyelids. “I love you,” she said. “You don’t have to say it back. I just want you to know.”

Alex inhaled, not having expected those words just yet from the other woman. She brought their entwined hands to her lips and placed a kiss on Vin’s. “We’ll talk about that once you’re fully awake and lucid.” Vin gave a nod and let her eyes fall shut. Her breathing evened out after a few seconds. 

“But I’m pretty sure I love you too,” Alex whispered to the sleeping woman.

 

* * *

 

The next time Vin came to, she spotted her brother sitting at the table going over some blueprints. “Vaan?” 

Vaan’s grey eyes widened and he looked at the bed, smiling brightly at his sister. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. Though it’s probably late afternoon. Maybe evening already, I’m not quite sure.” He went to his sister’s bedside. “Alex had to go check in with the DEO. She made me promise I wouldn’t leave your side until she came back.” Vaan wouldn’t have had it any other way. “You had us all very worried.” 

“Sorry ‘bout that.” 

“Yeah, well … don’t do it again,” Vaan said with a wink. 

Vin reached out and rested a hand on Vaan’s shoulder. “I’m not planning to.” 

Vaan covered the hand with his own and nodded. “I’m serious. You’re my big sis,” he said, blinking back tears and trying to hold back a sudden surge of emotion. “I wouldn’t know what to do without you.” He shook his head and exhaled in a whoosh. “And you better get your ass out of that bed soon. Work is piling up!” 

Vin chuckled and nodded at the table. “What are you working on?” 

Taking the papers from the table, Vaan took a seat next to his sister and showed her his sketches. “Miss Harden wants us to build a gazebo in her garden. She requested you specifically to pick the style and handle the woodwork. Said she wants something otherworldly. She was quite happy to learn we’re aliens.” 

“She really said that?” Vin asked with a lift of an eyebrow. Miss Harden, who lived down the street from the siblings was a bit eccentric, to say the least. “I thought people would be wary when they found out we’ve been lying to them this whole time.”

Vaan shook his head. “Well, they haven’t. Has Alex told you about the protest going on?” At Vin’s blank stare, he continued. “People have been gathering outside this hospital ever since you and the other aliens were brought in. It’s a peaceful protest. And a wake for all those who lost their lives in this alien vs human situation.” He pointed at the window. “There’ve been hundreds of people here.” 

Vin threw off her blankets and moved to swing her feet out of the bed. The sudden bout of nausea took her off-guard and she almost toppled over. 

“Wow, hold up! I don’t think you should be moving around this much.” Vaan grabbed Vin by the shoulders and tried to push her back into bed. 

“Help me get to the goddamn window,” Vin said determinedly.

Vaan hesitated for a moment but knew how stubborn his sister was. “Fine. But if you end up hurting yourself, I’m pretty sure Alex will kill you … and me.” He let Vin wrap one of her arms around his shoulders and heave herself to her feet. 

The world swirled around her the moment Vin was up and she had to lean most of her weight on her brother. But Vaan was strong, he could take it. Together, they slowly made their way to the window and Vin gasped at the sight below. The square in front of the hospital and most of the parking lot was filled with people. A group stood in front of the building, holding boards with pro-alien slogans. They looked relaxed, leaning on their boards while they chatted and laughed with each other. Behind them, Vin could see vans and campers, even some tents pitched in between. These people were seriously dedicated. 

“What are you doing out of bed?” 

Vin swallowed at the sound of Alex’s voice and turned around to find her girlfriend in the doorway with her arms crossed in front of her chest and one raised eyebrow.

“She made me do it!” Vaan called out, holding his hands up in surrender. 

Alex fought a smile and shook her head. “Get your ass back into bed. Now.” 

Vin mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, “Yes Ma’am,” and let Vaan help her walk the few feet. She sat on the edge of her bed and indicated she wanted to stay up for a bit. “I just needed to see ... well ... that!” She pointed at the window. 

Alex glanced at Vaan and the man understood the unspoken hint. 

“Hey, sis. I’m going home. Need to check in on a couple of projects and finish those blueprints.” Vaan gathered his papers and shoved them under his arm. “I’ll stop by tomorrow,” he went to Vin and gave her a one-armed hug before placing a kiss on her temple, the side without a bandage. 

Vin tapped him on the shoulder. “Sure thing. Make sure you get some decent food into you, ok? I don’t want you living solely on junk food.” 

Vaan chuckled as he walked to the door. “Don’t worry about me, sis. Angela is taking good care of me,” he shot Vin a wink and left the room. 

“He’s telling the truth. Angela insisted the both of us come by for dinner,” Alex said as she took a seat next to Vin. “She was part of the demonstration.” 

“Seriously?” Vin smirked, imagining the older, Italian woman running around with protest boards. 

Alex nodded. “Yep. Loud and proud. She’s been on the news and everything. She says she can grasp how it must have felt like, having come to America from Italy as a child.”

Vin blew out a breath and fell silent, her mind busy processing everything. She winced when the headache started and rubbed at her head. 

Alex stood and pushed Vin down. “I think you’ve had enough excitement for the day. You need to rest.” She helped Vin settle in, tucking in her legs and covered her with the blanket.

“Will you stay?” Vin asked and smiled when Alex nodded, taking the chair next to the bed. 

“I talked to the doctor. Your stats are great and he’ll probably release you tomorrow.” Alex had been relieved to hear that. It would be good for Vin to get back into her normal routine. Though she still would need a lot of rest to heal. 

“Can we watch some TV?” Vin could use some distraction.

Alex took the remote and flicked on the small TV that hung from the wall. She zapped to a cooking show she knew Vin liked to watch and sat back in the chair. She took one of Vin’s hands in her own, entwining their fingers and kept an eye on the woman to see if focusing on the screen might worsen the pain in her head. It didn’t take more than 10 minutes before Alex saw Vin’s eyes droop. She stayed still for a while longer until she was sure Vin was out. Then she turned off the TV and stood, placing a kiss on Vin’s forehead and left for the night.

 

* * *

 

“How do I face all those people?” Vin asked while buttoning up her shirt. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, trying very hard not to fall over. She doubted they’d still let her go home if she did.

“They’re all here for you and the other aliens recovering in this hospital.” Alex finished tying Vin’s shoes. “Ever since word got out you guys were brought here.”

Vin's fingers started to shake as she thought back to what she had seen from her window yesterday. She couldn’t deny that the sight of all that support made her emotional. “Why?” she murmured, glancing at Alex. “Up until a couple of years ago, aliens who were found out where being captured. Killed. Humans were afraid of us.” 

Alex pushed Vin’s fingers away from the shirt to help her with the buttons. “People are afraid of things they don’t know. But they have gotten to know aliens, understand where they’re coming from. Why they came here. They want to show they care.” She saw the lone tear sliding down Vin’s cheek and tenderly wiped it away with her thumb. 

Vin sucked in a breath and dropped her eyes, her lower lip shaking as more tears spilled from her eyes. “They all saw .... me. The real me. I’m a monster.” 

“What?” Alex was confused, not fully understanding where Vin’s feelings came from. She knew something was eating at her, hoped Vin would open up about it sooner rather than later. “You’re not a monster. You’re an alien.” Then it hit her. “Your brother, Varrik. God, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize. He died because people thought he was a monster. But, Vin … Baby, please look at me.” The term of endearment slipped out naturally and Vin looked up, her eyes wide. Alex’s lip curled up in a grin and she started to blush, bringing her hands up to cup Vin’s cheeks. “You are not a monster.” She stressed every word. Leaning forward, she kissed Vin on the lips, hoping to convey the strength of her feelings. “We can talk about this more when we get home, ok?” Alex knew Vin needed to stop burying her feelings of guilt and regret over her brother’s death. “The press is waiting to talk to you if you’re ok with that. Or we could sneak out the back and you can do it later. Your choice.” 

Sucking in a shaky breath to try and compose herself, Vin shook her head. “I need to talk to them. To thank them, at least. And then ...” She swallowed and gazed into Alex’s eyes. “Then I’d like to go home. With you.”

Alex smiled and placed another kiss on her lips, soft and sweet. “That can be arranged,” she murmured against Vin’s lips. She stepped back and held out her hand, beaming when Vin took it, and Alex guided the wobbly woman to the waiting wheelchair. Vin sat down without struggling and let Alex push her into the hallway. 

When they reached the lobby of the hospital and Vin could start to see the people gathered outside the door, she held up her hand to stop. “Help me walk the last part.” Alex put the brakes on the wheelchair and helped Vin up, letting her rest her arm over her shoulders. 

The cameras started flashing as soon as Vin stepped outside and only the knowledge that Alex was there for her kept her calm enough to keep going. 

“Miss Vecsei! Over here! National City News!” A reporter called out, microphone pushed out over the shoulder of one of the DEO agents struggling to hold back the press. More questions were shouted.

“NC Gazette! Any comments for the people of our city?!” 

“What does this mean for the humans of our city?” 

“Does the defeat of the Children of Liberty mean the aliens have won? Do humans need to fear retaliation?”

That last question made Vin halt and she turned to try and find whoever asked it. 

“You don’t need to answer anything,” Alex told her but Vin shook her head. No, perhaps it was time to make a statement after all. 

Vin turned to the crowd and took a step closer, deciding on NC News, which would get her the most coverage. She leaned into the microphone and tried to ignore the camera pointed at her. “First, I want to thank everyone who has been here the last few days for their support. And all you guys, the press, for taking an interest in this matter.” She swallowed to give herself a few seconds to get her thoughts together.

“My name is Vin and I’m an alien. I’m one of the thousands who’re proud to call this planet home. We are everywhere. We are the cooks in your favorite restaurant, the factory worker smelting the metals for your car, the barista that brews your morning coffee, that lady across the hall that feeds your cat when you’re away. Yes, sometimes we’re thieves, criminals. Beggars on the street. But we belong to this city. To Earth. Aliens living amongst humans. The good and the bad. We’ve been here for hundreds of years and no, we didn’t come to conquer Earth. If we had we’d be doing a lousy job of it.” Vin let her upper lip curl into a grin for a moment, then she turned serious again. “We didn’t come here on a whim. Like every living, sentient being, we just want to survive. We came here to escape  war, environmental failure, persecution. And yeah, things have gotten hard in this new place too. But when someone travels so far to a new place where they have to start all over, it's life changing. We’ve been hunted. We’ve been experimented on. We’ve been persecuted and butchered. But when you don't have any other options, you become committed. Bound and determined to make it work.  This is …  _ home … _ now,” she said softly with a reverence even she hadn’t known she felt so deeply until just then. Vin had her home taken away. She had to flee to survive. And while she had always embraced Earth as her new home, she finally felt the time had come that she could be accepted here as well. She took a deep breath and looked up, her grey eyes piercing into the camera. “My fellow aliens. I know many of you are scared. But the time is here to come out of hiding. Show yourself. Live your life. If we go back to hide in the dark, well … They win … Don’t let them.”

Taking a step back, Vin looked at the crowd, surprised by their sudden silence. Then someone started clapping, followed by a couple more. Soon everyone was cheering. Vin blushed and rubbed at the back of her neck. She hadn’t meant for her speech to get so deep, but once she started talking, she couldn’t stop. She jumped slightly when she felt a hand on the small of her back. 

“That was one hell of a speech,” Alex said, soft enough not to be overheard by anyone else. “Ready to go home?” 

Vin looked over her shoulder and smiled at the proud look Alex was giving here. “Please.” She took a last look at the crowd and raised her hand in a wave before Alex took her other hand and led her away, the DEO agents clearing a path for them through the people, and into a waiting car. She rested her head back against the smooth leather seats and closed her eyes. 

Alex tapped the window separating them from the driver and the car drove off. She sat sideways, facing Vin and gently ran a finger over the butterfly stitches above Vin’s eyebrow, checking for seepage. “Does your head still hurt?”

“It’s ok,” Vin answered, opening her eyes and turning her head so she could look at Alex. “It’s getting better. I promise.” She made an exaggerated pout, “Will it scar?” 

Chuckling, Alex leaned down and pecked Vin on the lips. “Probably. But I know for a fact that chicks dig scars.” 

Vin pulled Alex against her chest and held her close. “Lucky us then,” she mumbled, a smile in her voice.

Alex couldn’t agree more as she snuggled into Vin’s side and closed her eyes, finally able to relax on their ride home.  

 

* * *

 

It was almost noon when Alex woke the next day and she let herself snooze into the warm body next to her for a couple of minutes longer. They had decided to stay at Alex’s apartment for the time being as Vaan had warned them that the press found out where Vin lived. At least here Vin could rest and recuperate in peace. 

When her bladder started to protest, Alex carefully crawled out of bed and stretched her arms and shoulders on the way to the bathroom. After taking care of business, she washed her hands and face and wandered to the kitchen to see if she could find something for breakfast/lunch. 

“I really need to go shopping,” Alex mumbled to herself when her search only revealed some old pancake mix she found in the back of a cupboard, and the only milk she had in her fridge had gone sour. Quite a while ago. 

Guess coffee and going out for breakfast it was. She started up her coffee maker, the brewing noise almost drowning out the soft knock on her door. Frowning, Alex reached for the gun in her safe and readied it before peeking through the peephole. 

“Do you always greet visitors that way?” Kara’s muffled voice came through as she heard the click of the gun, and Alex shook her head, slipping the safety back on and opening the door.

“Since when do you knock?” Alex teased as she replaced her gun. 

Kara shoved at her glasses and followed Alex into the apartment. She glanced at the bed and smiled softly at the sight of Vin, still in a deep sleep. “You know, you really need to get a place with some walls.” She kept her voice down, not wanting to wake the sleeping woman. 

Chuckling, Alex grabbed them both a cup and filled them with coffee, putting them on the counter. “Black … it’s all I have that’s edible in here.”

“That’s pathetic,” Kara eyed the black brew skeptically. 

“I know.”

“I hope Vin’s more domestic than you are.” Kara took a sip and grimaced at the bitter taste. “At least then I wouldn’t have to worry about getting food poisoning after a meal at your place.”

“You’re Supergirl … You can’t get food poisoning,” Alex replied. 

The sisterly bickering would have continued for a while if it wasn’t for the breathy laughter that came from the bed.

Alex looked up and frowned. “Did we wake you? I’m sorry.”

Vin sat up and ran a hand through her hair, hoping to get it somewhat decent. It only ended up more tangled and she eventually gave up. “No worries. It’s about time I stretch my legs. Besides, you two are funny.” She sat up on the edge of the bed and rolled her neck and shoulders, groaning in relief when the tight muscles popped. Then she stood and padded over to the sisters. “Do I dare to get a cup of that?” she said with a playful raise of her eyebrow and bumped her shoulder into Kara as she took a seat next to the blonde. “And some painkillers, cause … damn ... “ she trailed off, rubbing at her temple. 

Alex filled another cup, placing it in front of Vin together with the small bottle of pills. “That bad, huh?” She knew it was to be expected after the kind of injury Vin had sustained, yet it still troubled her to see her girlfriend in pain. Vin popped open the bottle and dry swallowed two tablets before chasing them down with a sip from the hot coffee. “The cut looks better though,” Alex mentioned as she gently ran a finger over the stitches above Vin’s eyebrow. “The headaches should lessen in time.” 

Kara sipped at her own mug, trying not to gag too much while observing her sister doting on Vin, who made one of Alex’s sleep-rumpled, old punk-band shirts look cute. “You’re lucky you have such a hard head.” They were all lucky, she guessed. She didn’t know what Alex would’ve done if Vin hadn’t made it. She placed a hand on Vin’s arm. “I’m really glad you’re ok,” she said, looking into her eyes. “And that speech you gave … That was inspirational. Which actually brings me to the reason I’m here. Have you guys seen the news?” She figured they hadn’t, as both Alex and Vin seemed to have just rolled out of bed. She placed the paper she’d been holding on the counter. 

Alex’s eyes immediately fell on the two headlines dominating the page.

 

_           Mass pro-alien demonstrations in Washington DC. Numbers run in the millions. _

_          President Baker in hot water. Can he ignore the massive cry for reinstatement of President Marsdin? _

 

“What?! When did this happen?” Alex called out pointing at the last headline, quickly scanning the content.

“Some hacker leaked proof to the press that Baker has been working with Children of Liberty all along. And probably CADMUS too. Been secretly funding their anti-alien research.” Kara smiled when she said that. She never liked the man, he had always rubbed her the wrong way. “That and embezzling federal funds and fooling or bribing anyone who got in his way. The public’s opinion on him dropped drastically, to say the least.”

Alex gasped and looked up. “This will take his entire administration down with him. That means … Hayley!” She looked at Vin with wide eyes.

“Go,” was all Vin said and smiled when Alex gave her a look of relief. “Don’t worry about me. I’m sure Kara won’t let me starve.” Alex rushed at her girlfriend and kissed her in thanks, letting her lips linger longer than appropriate in front of her sister. Then she ran off into the bathroom, threw on the first decent clothes she could find and was out of the door in under a minute.

Kara blushed and looked at the floor during the open display of affection, fiddling with her glasses until Alex had left. When she dared to look back at Vin, she shook her head at the amused look she got in return. “So … How about brunch?” She blushed again.

“Brunch sounds great,” Vin replied with a smile.

 

* * *

 

Alex ran through the halls of the DEO, not bothering to change into her uniform. She ran up the stairs to Hayley’s office, taking the steps two at a time and barged in, slightly out of breath.

Hayley didn’t look up as she packed some more books into a box on her desk. “Nice of you to rejoin the living, Director Davers. I was almost worried.” 

Taking a deep breath, Alex took a couple of steps closer, noticing how the office was almost empty already. “I apologize, Colonel. I was preoccupied and my phone must have run out of power. What … uhm … what are you doing?”

Hayley looked up with an arched eyebrow. “What does it look like I’m doing, Director? I’m packing. I’ve resigned from my position.” 

“But … you helped us catch CADMUS. The exposure of the president. I can’t believe you had anything to do with it.” Alex couldn’t picture Hayley putting one toe out of line. “I’m sure if President Marsdin is reinstated, she’ll clear your name.”

Hayley shook her head and looked back down but Alex could swear she saw the start of a smile around the older woman’s lips. “Thank you for the vote of confidence, Danvers. And yes, my name has already been cleared of any involvement in this matter. But I’ve lobbied against Marsdin for so many years. Very hard and very publicly. No, it’s better if I resign and leave my position for someone new, someone better.” She picked up the one framed picture that was on her desk and looked at her daughter smiling up at her. “Besides, I’ve been wanting more time to spend with her.” She placed the frame, the last personal item in the room, into the box.

Alex buried her hands in the back pockets of her jeans to keep them from fidgeting. “What will you do?”

At that, Hayley looked up and laughed. “I have two PhDs, Danvers. I’m sure I’ll manage.” She lifted the box and walked around the desk, stopping next to Alex. “And so will you, Alex.” 

Alex was so stunned by the use of her first name that she couldn’t form a coherent reply. She could only watch as Hayley shook her head, still smiling and walked out of the office. 

Brainy entered only a few seconds later as if he had planned the whole thing, waiting for just the right moment. Alex figured he probably had. “It seems like the DEO is fully back under your command, Director Danvers. What are your orders?” 

Alex purses her lips. “Right now? I’m going to join my sister and my girlfriend for brunch.” She patted Brainy on the shoulder and walked out with a spring in her step.

Brainy watched her leave, “Until the morrow then, Director Danvers.” He called after her, smiling at the wave of recognition he got in return.

  
  



	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This actually is the last chapter in this story. I'm working on a little epilogue that will follow shortly, but this is it ... And that's very scary!
> 
> I want to thank everyone for the Kudos and especially the comments. They make us better writers, honestly.
> 
> Also, thanks to my BETA, Rebellion_Bear, for actually telling me when something sucks. This story wouldn't be half as good without her.
> 
> Hope you enjoy the ending! Stay tuned for the epilogue.

Parking her bike next to the delivery truck, Alex swung her leg over the saddle and took off her helmet, shaking out her hair. She spotted Vaan at the entrance of the building signing off some paperwork for the shipment of lumber. He looked up as she approached.

"Hey there, Alex. What're you doing here?" Vaan said with an easy smile as he leaned forward to accept the hug. "Came to check up on my sister?" 

Alex grinned at the teasing tone. "I'd say no, but we both know I'd be lying." It was Vin's first day back at work after three weeks of recovery and to say Alex was nervous would be an understatement. 

Vaan pointed with his thumb inside. "She's in the back. Me and the boys are keeping an eye on her. But she'll be happy to see you." He waggled his eyebrows, making Alex punch him in the shoulder. "Go on through, just watch your step."

With a wave of thanks, Alex made her way inside, through the half-demolished building, until she spotted her girlfriend. Vin was in her work gear, with cargo shorts, flannel shirt, safety boots and a dusty baseball cap on her head. The man she was talking to spotted Alex and motioned his head, causing Vin to look behind her. She broke out in a smile, which made the man excuse himself and move away, shaking his head with a grin.

"I thought you were going to take it easy today," Alex mentioned.

Vin nodded. "I am. Just keeping an eye on the boys. Moving some stuff around. No heavy lifting." Alex crossed her arms in front of her chest and eyed the timber log resting on Vin's shoulder, at least 150 pounds of American red oak. Vin shrugged, "I said no  _ heavy _ lifting." 

Alex shook her head in amusement and followed Vin around the corner where she deposited her load. Then Vin turned and took Alex into her arms, humming with delight at the soft press of lips against her own. "That's a proper greeting," she murmured as she pulled back. "Thank you for checking up on me. But I promise I'm fine."

"I just worry, that's me." Alex trailed her fingers across Vin's brow, feeling the puckered scar underneath her fingertips. "But since I'm here, can I steal you away for lunch?"

Vin slowly grinned and drawled, "I think I could be persuaded." 

Alex knew that look and felt her cheeks grow hot. She tapped her index finger underneath Vin's chin. "Food first … then we can see how persuasive I can be," she said with a wink. 

"Uhm ... V?" Vaan called out suddenly, peeking his head around the corner. He was blushing from the parts of that conversation he overheard. That was way TMI about his sister’s sex life. "There's someone here to see you."

The amusement Vin felt at her brother's actions made way for confusion. "Who is it then?" There wasn't anyone she could think off that Vaan wouldn't just let come through. 

"I think you better come see for yourself." Vaan shook his head and moved back around the corner.

Vin looked at Alex, who shrugged, equally confused. She took Alex's hand and led the way outside. When she spotted the three men in black suits and sunglasses, she frowned. Who would need a security detail to come to see her? One of the men moved to the side, showing Vaan shaking hands with a woman. "Is that …"

"The president?" Alex finished Vin's sentence. Her eye fell on Supergirl standing protectively behind Marsdin. Kara saw them and waved before saying something and pointing their way.

Vin opened and closed her mouth a few times as she watched the woman approach, jumping when Alex gave her a nudge. She quickly reached up and took off her cap, running her fingers through her hair to try and get it into a semblance of order and wiped her suddenly sweaty hands on her pants. "Madam President," she said in greeting.

Olivia Marsdin smiled at them both, taking Vin's hand, not bothered by the sweat and dirt. "Miss Vecsei. Director Danvers." She greeted Alex with a shake of her hand and the same, easy smile.

Alex had met Olivia before and found her words quicker. "Madam President. It's really good to see you back in office. What brings you here?"

"I came to meet your partner, hoping she'd give me a tour of this project she's working on." Olivia glanced at Vin, who swallowed nervously at the attention.

"Uhm … sure," Vin said hesitantly, wondering what was so special about this build. It was only a renovation of a pub, in its early stages. 

Olivia beamed up at Vin and took a step towards the entrance. "Wonderful! Lead the way, miss Vecsei." 

Alex watched as Vin, still very unsure of herself, lead Olivia inside, the group of security agents following them carefully. Olivia started to ask questions, that let Vin answer, and even from the distance Alex could see her girlfriend loosen up. Maybe that was Marsdin's plan after all. She looked to the side when Kara stepped up next to her and gave her a  playful glare. "You could've given us a warning."

"Now where would be the fun in that?" Kara said, amused to see both her sister and Vin flustered. 

Shaking her head, Alex bumped her shoulder into Kara. "Any idea what this is about? I'm pretty sure the president doesn't visit a lot of pub renovations."

"No, I don't. She just called me and asked where she could find Vin. Next thing I know we were heading here."

Alex nodded. "Well, whatever it is, I'm sure we'll find out soon." She made her way inside to follow the group, Kara falling into step beside her. 

Vin felt herself get more relaxed the longer the tour went on. Olivia asked a lot of questions, smart questions about how the building was constructed, about its history and the plans for the future. And she threw in some personal questions too, which Vin answered without hesitation. Vin ended the tour at the back of the building to show the masterpiece she was working on, a massive 15ft counter and shelving unit in red oak. "It still needs some work," she said, running a hand on the unfinished wood.

Olivia touched the graining in the wood with a smile. "It will be beautiful. You can already see that."

Vin took a breath as she waited for the older woman to continue, but Olivia remained silent. "So … that concludes the tour. Anything else I can help you with, ma'am?" Her eyes found Alex, who gave a small nod in support.

"I admit, I was … intrigued by you, Vin Vecsei," Olivia started. "You have the gift of changing people's hearts. The way you spoke after the kidnapping. After the pain humans had put you through. There was so much hope in those words. Hope for everyone. No matter what planet they were born on." Her eyes started to twinkle. "I'm Durlan and I finally don't have to hide that part of myself anymore. I can lead this country as my true self and the people accept it. I never thought that would be possible. Not in my wildest dreams." She looked up in Vin's eyes, the piercing gaze making the taller woman slightly uncomfortable. "I believe you are the cause of that, Vin. In fact, I believe much of my reelection was thanks to you."

Vin felt herself grow hot at the praise and rubbed at her neck. "You were a great senator and president long before the world found out you were Durlan." 

Olivia chuckled. "And you're modest, perfect." She glanced behind her and saw Alex, who was arching an eyebrow as she started to suspect the real reason Olivia was there. "My predecessor gave the whole government of this country a very bad name. He betrayed us all. Everything we stood for. But Baker did one thing right. He created the Secretary of Alien Affairs, a position I hadn't realized we sorely needed. He put the wrong person in it, sure, and it will be tough to correct that mistake in the eye of the people. But I think I have come up with a solid candidate." She paused for the dramatic effect and looked at Vin. "You."

Silence spread through the room as everyone held their breath to see Vin's reaction. The tall woman slowly started to shake her head, her eyes growing wide. Then she started laughing and said, "Good one, Madam President." Olivia's face remained blank and Vin swallowed. "You're serious?"

“Very,” Olivia answered in a serious tone. 

Vin paled and exhaled shakingly. “With all due respect Ma’am, I’m a carpenter. I barely went to school. I’m not made to be secretary of anything.” 

Olivia smiled and placed a hand on Vin’s shoulder. “I don’t need  _ thinkers _ , Vin. I have enough of those around me. I need more  _ doers _ . People who are not afraid to get their hands dirty. Who stand close to the public and are not afraid to speak their mind. Even if their vision doesn’t resemble mine.  _ Especially  _ if it doesn’t resemble mine.” She paused with a nod of her head. “I understand that I’m overwhelming you with this, so take your time. You have your business to consider. And your partner.” She extended her hand towards Vin, taking it in a strong grip. “Talk about my offer. Think about it.” Turning to Alex, she shook her hand. “Director Danvers.” Then she turned and walked back to her car, the security staff falling in line behind her.

It was after they all heard the car start and pull away from the curb that Vin turned to look at Alex, her eyes wide and confused. “What the fuck just happened?” 

Vaan stepped up and slung his arm around his sister’s shoulder. “I think I need to find a new partner in the business.” 

“What?” Vin stepped away from him. “Hell no! I’m not going to accept that position. I’m no politician. Not in a million years.” She roughly shoved her cap back on her head and stomped off, mumbling something about work she needed to do.

Vaan threw up his arms, “Yeah, walk away why don’t you?” He knew it was pointless to talk some sense into her right now. Instead, he turned to Alex. “She’d be perfect.” 

Alex blew out a breath. She agreed with him, but now they needed to convince the stubborn woman of the same thing.

 

* * *

 

Vin’s foul mood lasted for several days, causing most people to stay as far away from her as they could. No one wanted to mess with the six foot plus alien when she was angry. Only Alex stayed close by her side, choosing to ignore the topic completely for the time being. They both didn’t like to be pushed into sharing things before they were ready. That was something they learned early in their relationship.

One evening, about a week after Marsdin’s visit, Alex found herself in Vin’s bed, the tall woman sleeping peacefully beside her. Her head was resting on Alex’s chest and she exhaled in contentment when Alex’s fingers ran through the dark tresses of her hair. Alex smiled down at the sight, though the smile fell quickly. She knew the peace Vin found wouldn’t last for very long, as dreams and nightmares haunted her in her sleep. But still, Alex was glad she found some rest now. Guess they wore each other out earlier.

Alex gently trailed the bite mark on Vin’s shoulder, a little bit proud at the sight of the clear indentations of her teeth amongst bluish skin. She shivered at the memory, feeling the ghost of fingers and silicone inside of her. She had bitten Vin when she came apart underneath her and the woman growled and trembled, falling over the edge as well. They stayed entwined like that for long moments, dragging air back into their lungs before Vin let herself fall to the side and removed the harness from around her hips. No words were needed as Vin burrowed into Alex’s side, breathing in the scent of her lover and calming her heart rate. She fell asleep shortly after. 

Alex was dozing when the whimpers started and she soothed Vin, hoping to ease her through the start of her terrors. Sometimes it worked and Vin would calm down, sleeping for several hours more. But not this time, as Vin cried out and shook, jumping up with a gasp. 

“Shit,” Vin cursed and wiped the sweat from her face. She glanced at Alex, who looked up at her worried. “I’m sorry. T-that … phew … that was a bad one.” She smiled sheepishly.

“Wanna tell me about it?” Alex knew there wasn’t much use in asking, but she didn’t want to stop trying. Didn’t want to let it go.

As expected, Vin shook her head. “Nah … I’m ok. I’ll just … uhm … go watch some TV and come to bed in a while. You need your rest.” She pushed herself out of bed but was stopped when Alex grabbed her arm.

Alex sat up and took a breath. "Stay, please." She looked at the other woman, her eyes pleading. Vin's shoulders sagged but she sat down, pulling her legs up against her chest.  "I don't like seeing you like this, Vin. I love you and you're hurting. And, even though I know you might get angry talking about this, I really think you need help." Alex looked at Vin to try and gauge her reaction, but Vin's eyes stayed glued to the bed and Alex decided to push on. "It’s not even about the abduction, is it? That’s just an extra burden. What you're feeling is survivor's guilt. I think that started from the moment you left your home planet. You survived and they didn't. Then you lost your brother, adding more guilt to your consciousness. It's eating at you. Has been for so long.” She paused and reached for Vin’s hand, entwining their fingers. “I want to build a future with you. I want to start a family with you. But I can't do that as long as you're stuck in the past." She fell silent, waiting for a reaction, any reaction, but Vin stayed quiet and Alex closed her eyes in defeat. 

When Vin finally did speak, it was so soft Alex had to hold her breath to hear her. "You're right." She turned her head, her red-rimmed eyes finding Alex. “I want a life with you. I want us to move in together. To buy a house with a porch and a garden … and one of those white picket fences you earthlings seem to like so much.” She fully turned to face Alex and took both of her hands between her own. “And one day, I want our family to expand. To raise a couple of fantastic kids with you.” She reached up and wiped at the tear that spilled from Alex’s eyes. “You know someone who might be able to help me?” 

“Dr. Sanchez … She works at the DEO.” Alex knew Sanchez well, having seen her professionally a couple of times in the past. Isabella Sanchez was used to dealing with DEO personnel and had expanded her practice to include a couple of alien patients during the last few years. 

“Ok,” Vin swallowed. “Set me up with an appointment.”

Alex nodded and reached up to tuck some stray hair behind Vin’s ear. “I’ll give her a call tomorrow. Thank you for doing this. I’ll be with you as much or as little as you want me to be.”

Vin pulled Alex flush against her. “I want you with me. Always.” She captured her lover’s lips, groaning when Alex moved to straddle her lap. 

“Alway sounds good,” Alex replied before her tongue found Vin’s and words were no longer necessary.

 

* * *

 

Vin was fidgeting with the rim of the fedora in her hands, her eyes going from watching her fingers to glancing at the clock above the door. Anything to avoid looking at the woman sitting in the comfortable couch in front of her. Dr. Sanchez was a middle-aged, Hispanic woman, with jet black hair in a ponytail and dark eyes rimmed by a colorful pair of glasses. She hadn’t spoken much, only introduced herself and asked Vin to tell her why she was there and what she hoped to get out of therapy as soon as she was comfortable. Since then she just sat there, waiting and observing, giving Vin the space to open up. She took some notes in a notebook resting in her lap and Vin was curious about what she was writing. But she didn’t ask, cause that would mean speaking and she wasn’t sure if she could still do that. 

Isabella schooled her expression to neutral, not giving away what she was feeling about the situation. She wrote a couple of more keywords down, observations of her patient’s body language. It was the only thing she had to work with for the time being. The first things she wrote down were about the way Vin was dressed. The dark blue suit gave the appearance of power, of someone in complete control. But the longer Vin sat there, trembling fingers hidden behind her hat, the more that aura of control slipped away. So Isabella waited, recognizing this person as someone who wouldn’t react well to being pushed. She hid the small smile, thinking about Alex and how similar their first session had been. Vin had glanced at her a couple of times now, mostly when she was writing something down. It wouldn’t be long now before curiosity took over. The next time she moved her pen, she looked up and caught those grey eyes staring at her. Vin looked away quickly, but Isabella saw her taking a deep breath knowing she was caught.

“I’m not good at this,” Vin said. 

“Good at what?” Isabella sat up a bit straighter, her pen at the ready to take notes. She knew the real work could begin now.

Vin waved her arm around. “This … therapy thing … talking about my feelings.” 

Isabella smiled. “That’s totally fine. I won’t force you to talk about something you’re not 100 percent comfortable with. How about you start by telling me a bit about yourself? I’ve been told you’re close to your brother. Tell me a bit about him.”

“Uhm … ok ...” Vin started talking about Vaan and about their business. She started to feel more comfortable and was soon talking about their birth planet and how they came to Earth. Before she realized it, the hour had passed and Dr. Sanchez capped her pen. 

“Will I see you again?” Isabella asked. She had a good feeling about this, but an essential part of her therapy style was the connection she built with her patients. It had to be Vin’s choice. 

Vin cocked her head, sizing up the other woman. “I think we could try … for a couple of sessions anyway.” Maybe there was something to be said about therapy. She did feel a little bit lighter in her chest.

Isabella placed her notebook on the table and stood. “I’m looking forward to it, Miss Vecsei.”

“Call me Vin, please,” Vin said and followed her to the door. She shook Isabella’s hand and walked into the hallway and to Alex waiting in the waiting room. 

Having heard the door, Alex put down the magazine she was reading. She was anxious to hear about Vin’s session, but when she saw Vin smile, she breathed out in relief. “So? How was it? Are you ok?” she asked.

Vin slung her arm around Alex’s shoulders and led them to the exit. “I’m perfect,” she answered pulling Alex as close against her as she could.

 

* * *

 

“Come on, slowpoke,” Alex teased as she turned around, running backward for a couple of steps. 

Vin groaned and sped up her trot, trying to keep up with the other woman. Gods, she needed to work on her cardio more. “Why did … I … agree to this … anyway?” she mumbled out between deep breaths. She heard Alex laugh and forced her legs to move faster. 

Taking pity on her girlfriend, Alex slowed down and eventually came to a stop by a bench. She put her foot on the seat and stretched out her calves. Vin hopped over to her and threw herself down, resting her head between her knees. “It’s ok to admit that running isn’t your thing.” She chuckled when Vin glared up at her and continued teasing. “I do wonder how it’s possible for someone with legs as long as yours to be so slow.” It felt good to be playing and joking with Vin again. Her girlfriend was finally dealing with the terrors of her past and, though it wasn’t always easy, Vin was sleeping better and laughing more.  

“I’ve got like twenty pounds more to drag along,” Vin whined, not ready to admit defeat just yet. When Alex just laughed a little more she grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into her lap, causing Alex’s laugh to turn into a squeak. “But I can bench press you. Easily. That has to count for something right?” 

Alex looped her arms around Vin’s neck and pecked her on the lips. “It sure does.” She quickly looked around the park to see if they had an audience and when she saw they were more or less alone, she leaned in for a deeper kiss. She hummed when they broke apart, glad to see the dazed look on Vin’s face. “To do that, you do have to catch me first.” With that, she hopped off Vin’s lap and ran away, chuckling at the groan that followed. She heard the shuffling of feet on gravel and risked looking backward. “Race you home. Winner gets a back rub!” The wide smile on Vin’s face told Alex her girlfriend didn’t mind losing. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


Vin threw down her cards on the table and pumped her fist in the air. “Booyah!” she called out, followed by cries of defeat when the others folded. She pushed the candy they were playing for into her own, growing, pile and winked at Kara, who pouted in return, having just lost her last package of skittles. 

Alex, who had wisely folded a few turns earlier, patted her sister on the shoulder. “I told you to quit while you were ahead.”

“But they’re skittles,” the blonde whined, making the entire table erupt in laughter. An opened bag of the candies was held in front of her.

“Here you go, darlin’, you can have mine,” Lena drawled out, her accent more pronounced now she was amongst friends. And more than a little drunk. Kara found it adorable. 

“Who is up for another round?” Brainy asked while he gathered and shuffled the cards. His ability to count them had banned him from playing, so they turned him into the dealer instead. A job he took extremely seriously. 

Alex held up her hands, “I’m out.” Nia, Lena and J’onn wisely followed. 

Kara eyed Vin’s pile of candy longingly and then shook her head. “I suggest another game.” She jumped out of her seat and sped to the entertainment system, firing up her Singstar karaoke game. She held up the second microphone. “Who’s with me?” 

As expected, Alex was the first to react and join her sister and moments later they were rendering their own version of Elton John's “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” 

Vin stood and went to the kitchen to grab herself another beer. She twisted off the cap and took a drink, leaning against the counter, and watched the antics of her girlfriend and her family. Brainy and Nia sat together on the couch, Nia carefully explaining the purpose of Singstar to the confused looking man. Lena was staring at the Danvers sisters with love and adoration in her eyes. Vin knew it was pointed at one sister especially, they all knew that, even if they haven’t quite gotten there themselves. 

J’onn walked over to her, fixing himself a drink and sipping it while standing next to Vin. “She looks happy,” he said after a couple of moments, the sisters having skipped to another song, this time Alex picking Aerosmith. Vin hummed an affirmative, still not quite knowing how to act around the man. “You know that I think of those two like they were my own. So, like a father, I want to thank you … for making her happy.” Vin turned to look at him but he continued, “Life hasn’t always been easy on her. First they drop an alien teenager on their doorstep, one she has to pretend is her sister. Then she loses her father and her perfect life fell apart. The best decision I’ve ever made was to draft her into the DEO. To give her purpose. And thank H’ronmeer for that as she’s saved the world almost as many times as Supergirl has.” He took another sip from his drink, his eyes not leaving Alex. “When she came out, it was like a piece of the puzzle fell into place. She was happy with Maggie, happier than I’d ever seen her. But they needed to grow in different directions, and Alex went back into a deep, dark place for a while. Since she met you, I’m seeing that happy Alex again. And she has grown, like you. How are you doing? I’m told you’re seeing Isabella.” 

“Yeah … I’m doing a lot better. Talking helps,” Vin brought the bottle to her lips and took a long drink. “I uhm … I want to apologize. For how I acted when we met … before. You were doing your job and I blamed you. I’m sorry.”

J’onn held out his hand and Vin took it in a strong grip. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You are a good person, Vin. And I’m happy to call you a part of my family. Now, what is this rumor I’ve heard about you and the President?”

Vin rubbed at the back of her neck. “Marsdin asked me to be the new Secretary of Alien Affairs.” She suspected J’onn already knew this, as he barely reacted to the news. But then again, he was a mind reader.

“Have you considered it?”

Vin huffed and shook her head, “Hell no … That’s way out of my league.” Even to her own ears, that didn’t sound as convincing as it did when she first said it.

“Hmmmm,” J’onn mulled it over. “Olivia is a smart woman. I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t suggest something if she thought it wouldn’t work. You stand close to the people and understand the daily troubles they’re facing. Yes, you don’t have experience but you have charisma and you learn fast. And you’re not afraid to speak your mind and to fight for what you believe in.” J’onn gave her a smile. “Honestly, I think you’d be perfect for the job.”  

Vin blew out a breath. “I’m not even sure if the job is still open. It’s been weeks. Besides, how does one contact the president anyway?”

J’onn fished his phone out of his pocket. “She’s listed under O.” He patted her on the shoulder and left to join the rest. Vin mulled it over for a few moments longer, until she saw Alex looking her way. Her eyes were bright, happy and Vin couldn’t help but smile back. That was it then, decision made.

She held up J’onn’s phone and pointed at the front door to let Alex know she was stepping out to make a call. Once in the hallway, she scrolled through J’onn’s contacts and his the call button. It was picked up after the second ring. “Madam President? Yes … it’s Vin. Vin Vecsei. Yes … Uhm, I’m wondering … That offer you had for me a couple of weeks ago … does that still stand?”

  
  



	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it people, the epilogue ... With a surprise guest :) 
> 
> Thanks for sticking with me and I hope to see you again on another story!
> 
> Enjoy!

 

"Show me again!" 

Alex rolled her eyes as she looked down at the eight-year-old boy. Then she turned sideways and bent her knees, facing the punching bag in a defensive position. She pivoted and let out a short yell, hitting the bag with a perfect roundhouse kick. She faced the child again and shrugged. "See? It's all about balance."

The boy nodded enthusiastically and faced the bag. He yelled out his own, impressive, battle cry and kicked at the bag. It swung about an inch backward and the boy jumped up in joy. "Mama! Did you see that?! It moved!"

Alex laughed and ruffled his curly hair. "I saw it, Timo. Good job." She accepted his high five. "But now we really need to go and see what your mom cooked up for dinner."

Timothy Danvers smiled brightly and started to sprint up the stairs, ignoring his mom shouting not to run on the stairs. He barged into the main house and ran into the kitchen. "Mom! I did a roundhouse kick. I can fight almost as good as mama!"

Vin chuckled and glanced at Alex, who followed their son inside looking positively glowing. “Really now? You have to show me some time ok?” She high fived her son. “Go and get your sister for dinner. She’s in her room.” She watched as Timo bounced off and held out her arms to Alex. “I hope Timo didn’t disturb you too much. Once he finished his homework, there was no way I could keep him here. He wanted to watch his mama train.” 

Chuckling into Vin’s chest, Alex shook her head. “I don’t mind at all. He’s actually quite skilled for his age. It would do him good to sign him up for something. Could help get rid of all his excess energy.” 

Timo bounced back into the kitchen, followed at a much more reserved pace by his eleven-year-old sister. Juniper rolled her eyes like only a tween could and folded her lanky body into a chair at the table, leaning her head on her hand. 

Alex stepped away from Vin and sat down in front of her. "Afraid your head's going to fall off?" She waited until June looked up at her and winked. June groaned but sat up in her chair.

Vin chuckled at the interaction as she plated up the stir-fry and the family sat down to eat.

Their plates were about empty when Vin’s phone rang. Vin grumbled and checked the screen, seeing the name of her assistant pop up. “It’s Jack, I need to take this.” She shot Alex an apologetic smile and left the table, heading to her office.

Alex watched her go with a smile. They both thought that family time was important and tried to avoid work from 4 to 9 pm when the kids were home from school. But sometimes it was unavoidable. She looked at the two youngsters at the table finishing up their dinner. June was tall for her age, her shoulder-length dark red hair messy from running her hands through it while doing homework. That would need brushing later, Alex made a mental note to herself. Timo had the same coloring as his sister, his red hair wavey and curling past his ears. Both of them had hazel eyes shimmering with golden and orange flakes like they were on fire. All of that was proof of their heritage. Alex drifted off, thinking about how they came into their lives.

 

* * *

 

It was early in Vin's second year in office as Secretary of Alien Affairs that she finally acquired enough support for financial aid for several alien homes and orphanages. The project was one she took very personal, having spent months in one of those shelters when she first got to Earth. She remembered the rundown building, the people who wanted to help but lacked the funds. Now she had the chance to change all that. 

After the novelty of the project wore off, so did the attention of the press. But Vin kept herself in the loop, making monthly visits and weekly budget checks. Alex and/or Supergirl joined her regularly on those visits, thanking the staff for their work and hanging out with the kids. 

The shelter she loved visiting most was the one near the docks on Fifth street. The one she and her brothers ended up in. The man in charge, Maximus Danzing, had been a young man when he came to Earth from Starhaven and recognized the struggle that children in the same situation had. He devoted his life to helping them. 

When Max opened the door this morning, he smiled when he saw his former charge and her partner. "It's good to see you again, Madam Secretary, Director Danvers," he greeted them politely and shook Vin's hand. Seeing the raised eyebrows, he corrected himself, "Vin. Alex." He beamed up at the tall woman, remembering the child he once tried to teach English. He never would have guessed who she’d grow up to become. 

“That’s better, Max. How have things been this month? Everything seems solid in the budget,” Vin said while following the man inside of the building. She looked around, noting the improvement and rebuilding. The living room now had new couches and a big color TV. It was no longer a depressing greenish sight, with a fresh coat of white and blue paint. A few children of different ages sat spread out through the room, some reading or watching TV. A couple looked up as they passed, smiling and waving. Vin waved back before taking Alex's hand and leading her to Max's office. They would go and say hi in a minute.  

“Things are great. Thanks to you, we have all the funding we need for the children that remain here. Also, more and more people are open to adopting an alien child, though we do prefer to put them with people who at least have some experience with aliens." Max pushed open the door to his office and sat down behind his desk. "Some of our children have special needs. Humans sometimes forget about that. But it is good that they're interested." He thumbed through the files on his desk for the one Vin needed.

Alex walked over to the window overlooking the garden and looked at the children playing on the grass. Her eyes fell on a small red-haired girl who stood alone, her face directed to the sun. She reminded her of Kara during the first days she was on Earth and how she would stand on the beach soaking up the rays of the sun. "Who is she? I haven't seen her here before."

Max looked up from the paperwork. "She just arrived here. They found her on a cargo vessel. Together with her younger brother. They're Infernians, unfortunately." Max shook his head sadly, knowing the two would have to remain in the shelter until they could look after themselves. Infernians were too dangerous to put up for adoption. 

Alex took another glance at the girl before walking out of the room. Vin arched an eyebrow, watching through the window as her girlfriend entered the garden and kneeled in front of the girl. Then she chuckled, glad they had finished moving into their new house last week.

 

* * *

 

When Vin came back to the table, breaking Alex out of her reverie, she had an unreadable expression on her face. Alex shot her a look, silently asking her if everything was ok. Vin nodded and motioned her head toward Timo and June, letting Alex know they’d talk about it later. Both kids were oblivious as they finished their plates.

“Can we watch some TV before bed?” June asked after a few moments and smiled when Alex agreed, running from the kitchen to the entertainment system in the living room. Timo quickly followed his big sister’s example and soon the sounds of some Cartoon Network show were blasting through the house. 

Vin stood and gathered the plates to load the dishwasher while Alex took a cloth to wipe down the counter and table. Finished, Alex leaned her forearms on the counter of their open kitchen and watched her two kids hanging on the couch, completely engrossed in their show. She felt Vin join her and looked at her wife. 

“You remember that Chief Rumstein is about to retire right?” Vin asked and Alex nodded, remembering the elderly Chief of Police she met at a fundraiser a couple of months ago. “It wasn’t easy to find someone to fill his shoes, but we finally found a perfect candidate in Gotham and they were willing to move and take this position.” Vin paused for effect, looking sideways at Alex. “Captain Margaretha Sawyer.” 

Alex blew out a breath in surprise. “Maggie? Wow … I’d heard she was promoted after that undercover bust that took down a major drug cartel in Brazil.”

“Yeah, she did pretty great for herself after that, too. She finished a Masters degree in criminology to get her promoted to Captain and led her own strike team to clean up the streets of Gotham.” Vin was somewhat in awe of the woman. “The council picked her out of a handful of candidates. She will be the youngest chief yet. Exactly what this city needs if you ask me. There's a banquet next Friday, officially introducing her to the public. We’ve been invited, of course. But, you know, we don’t have to go if you’re not comfortable.”

Alex stepped up to her wife, wrapping her arms around the taller woman. “Thank you for understanding, but I know you have to go.” Vin had a seat in the city’s council now and nominations were coming in for her to run for mayor in the next election. “And I will be right by your side, as always. Besides … It might be good to see Maggie again. It’s been so long.” 

Hugging her wife tightly against her, Vin smiled. “Ok then, it’s a date. I’ll have to ask Kara and Lena to babysit. Or maybe your mom. It’s on a Friday evening so that rules out Vaan.” She shook her head thinking about her brother’s dating habits. He was still showing no signs of settling down, preferring to divide his time between the business and one night stands. Vecsei Construction was a booming success, with Vin helping out every once in a while with some woodwork just because she still loved working with her hands.

Alex let herself relax for a couple of moments longer before turning to her children. “Ok you two, time for a shower and bed.” She chuckled at the expected groans and mumbling but they rolled off of the couch and headed up the stairs. “June? I’ll be right up to help you with your hair, ok?” The teenager rolled her eyes again but nodded, secretly happy to get the affection from her mother. It just wasn’t cool to admit that. 

Soon, Vin and Alex heard the shower turn on and Vin wrapped her arms around her wife. “We have like five minutes of peace. Wanna make out?” she said with a laugh.

Turning in her arms, Alex’s answer was to lock her wrists around Vin’s neck to pull her down and attach their lips. Vin moaned at the sudden move, opening her mouth to deepen the kiss. They got lost in the feeling, losing track of time.

“Ewwwww.”

The exclamation broke the two apart and they looked at the stairs to see June in her pajamas, rolling her eyes. It seemed to be her new go-to move, one both her parents hoped she would grow out of quickly.

“It’s called being in love, missy. You’ll get that someday,” Vin said with a wink.

June fought the smile that wanted to appear on her face. “Maybe. But you guys are my moms … so … bleh.” She turned around quickly and marched upstairs, grinning widely now that no one could see it. It made her happy to see her moms so very much in love.

Chuckling, Alex turned to follow her daughter. “I’ll go tuck them in. You go finish up your work for the night. Then maybe … just maybe … we can retire a bit earlier tonight.” The teasing and drawn out tone of that last sentence wasn’t lost on Vin.

“Yes ma’am,” Vin saluted and watched Alex climb the stairs, not missing the extra sway of her hips.

 

* * *

 

"Have I told you yet how gorgeous you look tonight?" Vin asked the woman holding onto her arm as they were being led to their table by a young waiter. 

Alex tried (and failed) to hide the blush and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You might have mentioned it once or twice on the way over." The pair was used to dressing up as official events had become part of Vin's life ever since she went into politics. But Alex decided to pull out all the stops for this one. 

Vin was wearing a deep purple two-piece suit with a black satin shirt. Alex had copied the color and material of her shirt into a jumpsuit that left her shoulders and back bare. The amount of skin visible to the eye was very distracting to Vin and the taller woman almost bumped into their guide when they reached their table. "Ahem … thank you," she stammered and watched the waiter remove himself, his lips curling into a smile. Vin eyed Alex and pulled out her wife's chair. "You're loving this aren't you?" 

"Well," Alex started and took her seat. "I do enjoy knowing that I still have this effect on you. Even after all these years." 

Vin took Alex's hand between her own on the table. "You can be old and grey in a ratty old jumper and you'd still have this effect on me."

Alex dipped her eyes for a moment to gather herself. Sometimes she was still caught off guard by Vin’s way with words. She looked up when she felt Vin raise her hand to her lips and place a kiss on the knuckles, grey eyes staring into her own. 

“I love you, Alex Danvers. And I will until the day I draw my last breath. You are the mother of my children and the keeper of my heart.”

Feeling herself tear up, Alex pulled back her hand. “Please stop. I’m going to ruin my makeup.”  

Vin chuckled and was about to add some more sappy stuff, taking the ruining of her wife’s makeup as a challenge, when the crowd around them fell silent. They looked at the stage and saw the mayor tap at the microphone. Vin winked at Alex, letting her off the hook for now. Alex grinned back, covering Vin’s hand on the table with her own and faced the stage.

The mayor was a middle-aged man in a suit who looked mostly like all the other middle-aged men in suits. He was nice enough to work with, but a bit old fashioned and Vin couldn’t wait for elections next year. Not that she wanted the position for herself (it was her crew who were pushing her to do that) but she wanted someone more open-minded in that seat. It would mean that she wouldn’t have to fight so hard to get support on every idea she had. The mayor droned on in his speech about improvements in the city’s infrastructure, and Vin was losing interest until he finally announced the true woman of the hour.

“With great joy and honor, I introduce you to the next Chief of NCPD, Captain Maggie Sawyer.” He clapped his hands, the crowd following his example, and the captain stepped onto the stage.

Alex stopped clapping and sucked in a breath, watching the fully uniformed police officer shake hands with the mayor and taking his place in front of the microphone. Maggie looked confident and strong, the four gold stars on the collar of her uniform jacket sparkling in the light. Several other bars and medals adorned her dress uniform, and Alex felt a strange sense of pride for her ex-fiancée. She heard Vin’s low whistle and shot her a glance.

“Can I commend you on your taste in women?” Vin teased, her eyes sparkling. Alex shook her head amused and turned back to the stage, listening as Maggie started her speech, thanking the mayor and greeting the people. Back in the day, Maggie wasn’t big on public speaking, but something must have changed as she easily captivated and entranced the audience. Her eyes searched the crowd as she spoke, taking everything in. When they found Alex however, Maggie faltered for a second. Alex dipped her head with a smile in acknowledgment and saw Maggie swallow, take a breath and continue her speech as if nothing had happened. 

When Maggie was finished, the crowd clapped and cheered. She stepped from the stage to be replaced by the mayor who opened up the gala, letting everyone free to mingle and hit the buffet for some food. 

Vin turned to Alex. “I really need to find Jack to touch base on some issues. But I’ll be back for that dance you owe me.”

“Since when do I owe you a dance?” Alex called out right before Vin walked away. The tall woman looked back over her shoulder and wiggled her eyebrows, grinning widely. Alex chuckled at the silliness, something Vin never really got rid of thankfully. She looked around their table for a couple of moments to see if she saw anyone she knew, then decided to head off to the buffet table to get something to eat. Making her way through the mingling crowd, smiling and greeting a couple of people she recognized, she grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.

“Danvers.”

The familiar call of her name froze Alex on the spot. She turned around awkwardly and brought her glass to her lips, swallowing a mouthful of champagne just to moisten her suddenly dry throat. “Maggie,” she breathed out as she came face to face with the new chief, or at least she would be after her swearing-in ceremony. The wide smile on the other woman’s face was as blinding as ever, the dimples in her cheeks seemed to have deepened with age. “Hi.”

At loss for words, Maggie fidgeted with the buttons of her uniform. “Uhm …. You look great.” She winced the moment she said it and shook her head. “Damn … that was terrible.” They both looked at the other and Alex started to laugh, Maggie quickly joining her. 

“Damn, Danvers,” Maggie started now that the ice was broken. “How long has it been? Ten years? How have you been?”

"I'm good. Married," Alex said with a shy smile.

It made Maggie chuckle. "Oh, I know, Danvers. You married the bloody Secretary of Alien Affairs … it was kinda hard to miss." Honestly, it stung a bit back then. "I saw the pictures. You looked beautiful, by the way." She fell silent for a moment, thinking back on the wedding photos on the news. Of Alex, beaming in her gorgeous wedding dress next to Vin in a crisp white suit. Shaking her head, Maggie let her gaze drift over Alex's shoulders. "Speaking of beautiful …" she let the sentence trail when a woman approached them. She was small in stature with a narrow waist and slim hips. Her blond hair was cut in a pixie cut and shot through with pink. It gave her a youthful appearance, even if the small lines around her eyes betrayed her age to be somewhat around theirs. The woman stepped up next to Maggie and placed a tender hand on her shoulder. "Kenny … this is Alex. Alex, my partner Kendra Stevens."

"Director Danvers, it's an honor to meet you," Kendra said, holding out her hand.

Alex smiled returned the greeting. "Likewise."

Kendra turned back to Maggie. "I just wanted to let you know I'm meeting with the board tomorrow to finalize everything. So you don't have to worry, ok babe? I'll leave you two to talk." She winked at Alex and sauntered away, Maggie's eyes following her.

“Talk, yeah … Maybe that isn’t such a bad idea,” Alex said, looking around and spotting the door to a balcony. “Wanna go somewhere a bit quieter?” When Maggie nodded, she led the way, switching her empty glass for a fresh one.

Maggie grabbed a glass for herself, taking a sip and breathing in the fresh air when they stepped outside. “Much better, thanks. I’m really not a fan of these gatherings. But they’re a necessary evil.”

Alex walked over to the railing, resting her forearms on the cold stone. Maggie leaned her back against it, enjoying the silence. 

“Kendra seems nice,” Alex started, making Maggie chuckle. 

“Yeah, she is.”

“How long have you two been together?”

Maggie thought for a moment. “About four years now, give or take. I spent a lot of time undercover in Brazil for the first couple of years. Dating was a bit hard back then.” That wasn’t the only reason it was hard, but Maggie figured Alex knew that. “She’s smart too. A trauma surgeon. She’s transferring to NC hospital.”

“Wow, that’s pretty awesome.” Alex took another sip from her glass. 

“Yeah … she knows how a job sometimes has to come first. That having a social life can be a bit tricky when you’re a cop … or a surgeon. I think that’s why we click, you know?” Maggie glanced at Alex. It was one of the reasons they had clicked as well. 

Alex blew out a breath. “I’m sorry. For everything. I -” 

Maggie interrupted, “No … no apologies. Things happened. It was shitty, yeah, but we moved on. We grew, got better. I mean,” she pointed at her uniform. “Back then I’d never thought I’d make it to this point. I didn’t know I wanted to. If we hadn’t broken up, I wouldn’t have spent three years in Brazil taking down the cartel. I wouldn’t have gotten this,” she pointed at the medal of honor hanging from her breast. “Nor realized that I wanted this. To make a difference.” She smiled. “And you? I heard you adopted some kids a while back. Tell me about them.”

Alex smiled. “Sure. Timothy is eight and a very sweet boy. Juniper is eleven, almost twelve and slowly going all broody teenager on us. They’ve been with us for seven years now. We’ve met them in an alien shelter. They’re Infernians.” She chuckled when Maggie’s eyes went wide. “Yeah … there’s a reason I have fire extinguishers in every room in the house.”

“See … I’ve always known you’d make a great mother someday,” Maggie said with a smile. 

“There you are,” Vin walked onto the balcony toward her wife. She held out her hand to Maggie. “Vin Vescei. It’s an honor to meet you, Chief Sawyer.” 

Maggie took the outstretched hand. “The pleasure is all mine, councilmember. But please call me Maggie. Chief still sounds a bit weird.”

“Only if you call me Vin. After all, we’ll be working together quite closely from time to time.” Vin glanced at Alex, seeing the smile on her face. “I hope you’ll be able to handle that.” 

“I’m looking forward to it, Vin.” Maggie tightened the handshake just a bit, showing she wouldn’t back down from the taller woman, even knowing Vin could probably squish her like a bug. Vin grinned and released the hand, satisfied by the other woman’s guts. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find my girlfriend and head home. It’s my first day tomorrow and I want an early start.”  Maggie turned to Alex. “I hope we can keep in touch. I really missed you, Danvers.” She placed her cap back on her head and went inside.

Vin stepped up to Alex, embracing her from behind, smiling when the other woman seemed to melt against her. “I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

“No, you didn’t. We talked. I’m glad we did. Perhaps now we can move on to become something else. Friends, maybe? Somewhere in the future. I think I’d like that.” Alex closed her eyes, leaning her head back against a strong shoulder. “I missed having her in my life.” 

“The future, huh.” Vin entwined her fingers with Alex’s. “Who knows what it will hold. But as long as you’re in mine, I’m totally ok with it.” 

Alex smiled at that, feeling safe and content, wrapped up in Vin’s arms. “Ditto.” 

  
  
  
  
  


FIN

**Author's Note:**

> Remember to feed the author!


End file.
